


Batwoman: Trial by Blood

by Progman



Series: The Unstoppable Batwoman [1]
Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batwoman (Comic), Birds of Prey (Comic), DCU (Comics), Gotham Central, Gotham by Midnight (Comics), The Question (Comics)
Genre: Bat Family, Continuity Nods, Courtroom Drama, Crime Fighting, Crisis of Faith, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Gap Filler, Gotham City Police Department, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Internalized Homophobia, Judaism, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Panic Attacks, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Police Procedural, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Queer Themes, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Sapphic Solidarity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-07-14 21:36:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 81,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7191470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Progman/pseuds/Progman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kate Kane escaped the hypnotic nightmare that was Nocturna with the help of her twin sister Beth. However, in the process of exposing the vampire for the monster she truly was, Beth made a grave error. The murder confession that she streamed to the Gotham City Police Department contained evidence that Kate Kane and the Batwoman are one and the same! With the real Batman gone, along with Nightwing and Robin, investigating the truth could mean the end of the entire Batfamily! </p><p>After all, it would only take a single conviction for the entire house of cards to fall.</p><p>Now, it's a race against time and Gotham's corrupt criminal justice system, as Kate and her allies, Maggie Sawyer and back-in-action Renee Montoya among them, must work together in secret to ensure that not only does she dodge the conviction, but survives to tell the tale. Because if they don't, not only will the Bat die, but it could take Gotham City right along with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fifty-Two Pickup (Where We Left Off)

**Author's Note:**

> The following story takes place immediately after Batwoman Annual #2, though there are plenty of other continuity touch stones that crop up that help establish a tighter time frame. It is meant to serve as a thematic/course-correction bridge between Andreyko's Batwoman run and Detective Comics Rebirth spearheaded by Tynion IV. 
> 
> In short: "How Kate Kane Got Her Groove Back" More specifically, though, fleshing out how Kate went from [ this bullshit](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ru6KUQEKSlc/VmJhUP_DAsI/AAAAAAAACYs/PhgbmBVbLBI/s0-Ic42/RCO015.jpg) all the way back to [an actual human being.](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/4ZoDxAGTRLa4x8sFiVepulSOXNIQhU8UA2Htiq0uf7Pb5dLybiYOgSDVqq02NrV1CF0j7RjOs41p=s0)
> 
> Intimate knowledge of the Pre-Flashpoint and New 52 DC continuities are NOT required to understand this story, though it does add greater context to the tale, especially with Renee's arc. For those of you who DO remember all this stuff, a brief glance at the character listing should be quite enticing. But you can honestly just skim a summary of the characters on ComicVine and you'll figure it out easily enough, since I really tried to make this as accessible as possible without being pandering. 
> 
> The only real 'requirement' is Batwoman, both her[ 2009/10 Detective Comics run (Elegy/Go/Cutter)](http://readcomiconline.to/Comic/Detective-Comics-1937/Issue-854?id=6227) and her [solo book.](http://readcomiconline.to/Comic/Batwoman/Issue-1?id=3264) And btw I totally didn't just link online scans of those things in the event that you feel like refreshing your memory. Nope, no siree. Definitely not.
> 
> But let's be honest, you wouldn't be here if you hadn't read her book already, eh?
> 
> (special eternal thanks to thejmpr and jkb405 for their tireless efforts in editing and making this story that much better)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate stumbles, Maggie is slow to start, and Renee hits the ground running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://imgur.com/IodRZK5)  
> 

Renee Montoya looked up at the rooftops from the alley, thankful that, for once, it wasn’t raining in the middle of the night. Made working second shift that much easier.  Then again, that could change in the next thirty seconds. Sky was overcast, with the moon bleeding through just enough so that they weren’t shrouded in darkness.

At least, not entirely.

“You gonna call it in, Montoya?” asked Harvey, wiping dirt off of his hat. “If you want, I can give you and the moon a few minutes alone to get reaquainted.”

“Nah, already had my fair share of _moonlighting_ in Blüdhaven.” She clicked on her radio. “Central, this is Detective 18.” She bent to down to look over the shattered jaw of one Natalia Mitternacht. Better known as Nocturna. Anonymous caller had tipped them off to a body matching her description, but Renee was positive Harvey could’ve found her with his eyes closed.

He had this strange knack for _finding_ women. Alive, dead, missing, booty calls; it was like a super power. And, if she were being honest, kinda entertaining. Mostly because he struck out as often as he solved a kidnapping. Morbid, sure, but Gotham wasn’t exactly known for anything else.

“ _Central, go ahead Detective 18.”_

“Got a dead body matching Natalia Mitternacht, alias Nocturna. White female, roughly twenty-eight years of age, five-foot eight, black hair, blue eyes, looks like a vampire. Probable homicide.”

_“Copy, Detective 18. Dispatching CSU and Homicide.”_

_“_ Roger that, we’ll stay on site.” Renee clicked off the radio and scratched her head. “So, she didn’t fall. Back of her head would be cracked open from that height. Angle’s wrong, too.”

“Ain’t any blood either, Montoya. All dried up.” He pointed to the shattered jaw and traced a circle around her head.  “Should have some broken teeth, some scabbed over wounds in the gums, but I’m not seein’ anything like that. I wanna say somebody crushed her head with a boot, but…”

“Doesn’t fit. I was thinking the same thing.” Renee raised a brow. “It’s almost like half of her injuries are missing, you know?”

Harvey looked down at the corpse again.  “What, you think it’s a meta? Can heal herself without breathing?”

Renee stuck her hands in her jacket pockets. “Makes about as much sense as anything else, Harv. I’d put my money on vampire, though.”

Harvey rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on, Montoya. Vampires _aren’t real_.”

Renee chuckled. “Tell that to Man-Bat. Might save him the trouble.”

 _KILL HIM,_ screeched...something inside her own head. Clawing on her inner ears and sending a shiver up her spine. Her hands were clammy and her throat was dry. If it was the flu, it was the _weirdest_ flu.

Renee drew her weapon and spun around, checking the alley as Harvey mirrored her. “You hear that?”

“Yeah, I heard it, and at first I thought _which_ her, but clearly it meant you, since the broad down there is already dead.”

“Her?” Renee narrowed her eyes and looked at Harvey over her shoulder.  “...wait, what did you hear, Harv?”

“‘Kill her’, and I’m startin’ to feel sick.”

“The hell? I heard kill...him…” She looked down at the body and the eyes _snapped open_ with lustful rage, boring into her soul.  “Oh shi---”

Nocturna lunged at her, jaw self-correcting with a loud crack, her fangs and claws extended like an _actual vampire._ Renee dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding her intestines being splattered across the concrete, and Nocturna lost her balance, slamming into Renee’s car and denting the trunk.  Renee rolled on to her back and fired twice in tandem with Harvey, each shot hitting just left of center. Her heart. Nocturna screeched so loudly it set off her car alarm, and then mercifully collapsed face first into the ground.

Renee scrambled to her feet and shut off her car alarm, grabbing her cross pendant from the glove box. “Central, this is Detective 18, disregard last message. Repeat, disregard _dead_ body. Suspect Nocturna is _alive_ , most likely designated meta-human.” She kept her sidearm trained at the demon’s head. “Enhanced strength, self-healing, possible telepathy---excuse the informality, but _I’m pretty sure I just shot a vampire_.”

“... _uhhh, copy that, Detective 18. Recalling CSU and Homicide._ _Situation under control?”_

Harvey rolled his eyes. “We’ve got it, Central.”

_“Understood, Detective 18.”_

Renee gave him a look and bunched her pendant in her off-hand. Just in case that actually worked. “I don’t think now is really the time for your patented overconfidence, Harvey.”

“Not overconfident, Montoya.” He cocked his head up to the roof. “Just observant.”

Renee followed his gaze and caught sight of the masked woman just before she leapt into the alley, her dark purple and gold cape slowing her fall to one of grace and poise. “You wouldn’t happen to know how to detain a vampire, would you Batwoman?”

“Oh for---it’s _Batgirl,_ ” groaned Batgirl. “Seriously, how are you even mistaking this costume for hers? Our color schemes, costumes and silhouettes are completely different, she’s so much _taller_ than me, and…” She waved her off. “Forget it, it doesn’t matter. To answer your question, Detective Montoya, yes, I unfortunately do.”      

Renee winced. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, really.” Batgirl cut a length of batline (is that what it was called?) off of her belt and hogtied Nocturna. “Just going to take a wild guess and say that, for the moment, you’re not going to try and take me in, right?”

Harvey shook his head. “Never minded you, kid. You don’t act like you’re above us all. Also, y’know, _vampire_ sorta throws the whole plan out the window.”

“I’ll...take that as a compliment. Do you guys have a spare cross, or is just the one, Detective?”

Renee holstered her weapon. “Just this one. Never thought I’d need a spare, to be honest.” She handed it to Batgirl.  “So...all of that stuff about vampires? It’s true?”

Batgirl unfolded a batarang and tied the pendant to it, securing it in place on top of Nocturna’s heart with what looked like an adhesive.  “Most of it. The part about holy symbols is actually more nuanced than you’d think.” She tested the bindings. Taught. “Detective Montoya, how much faith would you say have? In God? Catholicism?”

“That’s not an easy question. “ Renee raised a brow. “I guess enough to still keep _that_ in my car. Barely.”

“Sorry, I should have said why I was asking.” She put her hands on her hips. “See, the way this weakens her has nothing to do with the fact that it’s a cross. You can do the same thing with any holy symbol. A star of david works just as well as long as the owner believes strongly enough in their faith.”

“So basically, were I an atheist, we’d be screwed.”

Batgirl looked from Nocturna to Renee. “Kind of? Look, this stuff is second-hand for me.”

“What about the other parts?” asked Harvey. “About vampires?”

“The thing about bridges and being invited indoors, as far as I know, aren’t true. Believe it or not, I’ve seen holy water laced blood turn one to _ash._ ”

“Jesus.”

“Yeah, you don’t know the half of it.” Batgirl tested the bindings once more and, appearing satisfied, took a few steps back. “Okay, that should give her a strong enough electrical shock to stun her if she applies too much pressure to the batline, and as long as you don’t have a crisis of faith, Montoya, the cross will weaken her more than enough for you guys to manage without too much trouble.”  

“Thanks!” said Renee.

“Happy to help.” Batgirl pointed her grapnel gun to the sky, and looked back at them. “Stay safe, Detectives. You in particular, Montoya. Good to have you back in Gotham.” She shot off into the sky and vanished over the rooftops.

Renee tracked her ascent and raised a brow. “Wow. I see why you like her. She’s so... _helpful_.”

Harvey tossed Nocturna into the backseat and buckled her in. “Yeah, she’s a good kid. Not a bitter bone in her body, I bet." He smirked. "Think Batwoman’s more your type, though.”

“Shut up, Harvey.” Renee got in her car and turned it on, thankful that it wasn’t damaged too badly from their recent bout. Insurance would cover the dent, as long as she didn’t list ‘Collision by Vampire’ on the form. “Trust me, you have _no idea_ what my type is.”

He settled into the passenger seat.  “‘Course I do. I’m your partner.”

“Uh huh. Sacred bonds and all that.” Renee merged back into traffic and flipped on her sirens, just as it started to rain with a loud thunderclap. “Call it in.”

“Detective 18, heading back to Central. Nocturna hogtied and in custody. Prep interrogation for meta. Gonna need a psychic dampener.”

_“Roger that, Bullock.”_

Renee sighed. “Would it kill you to actually follow procedure, for once?”

“Dunno. Might.” Harvey shrugged. “I wasn’t kidding, y’know. I really think Batwoman’s your type.”

“Even if that _were_ true, what the hell am I supposed to do with that information?" she said, making a throwing away gesture. "Just ask her out the next time I run into her while we happen to be working the same case?”

“Hey, some people would call that a meet-cute.”

“And sane people would call it ridiculous.”

Nocturna hissed from the backseat. “ _RELEASE ME, YOU PATHETIC FOOLS! I COMMAND---”_ she yelped in pain as the bindings shocked her.  “ _YOU CANNOT HOLD ME, HUMANS! YOU WILL BEND TO MY WILL!”_

Renee shook out her head when she felt...something scratch at the inside of her skull, creeping back toward her neck and digging into the small of her back.  For the smallest of moments, she thought the wheel was melting in her hands, but then the taser went off once more, and everything went back to normal.  

_I CAN SEE INTO YOUR MIND, RENEE.  I KNOW YOU, INTIMATELY._

“Harvey?” She gave him a sidelong glance, but he was already slamming Nocturna’s head against the divider.  “Yeah. She’s undead, she can take it. Keep doing that. Almost sent me on an acid trip.” She cleared her throat. “Natalia Mitternacht, you are under arrest for the murder of Alexandra Witherspoon. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney; if you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided for you. If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney. Knowing and understanding your rights as I have explained them to you---”

“She _gets_ it, Montoya.”

“---are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney present? I’m going to guess that’s a hard no.”

 _GOTHAM REMINDS YOU OF HER. THEY ARE SYNONYMOUS. ROMANTIC, ISN’T IT? TWO BROKEN, SAD WOMEN WHO GET OFF ON JUSTICE BUT NOT ONE ANOTHER.  WELL. SHE GOT OFF ON_ **_ME._ **

“Definitely a hard no.”

“How much further?” asked Harvey, releasing Nocturna just before another shock kicked in.  “She’s diggin’ up stuff I’d rather forget.”

“Five minutes from Central.”

“Want to know a wonderful secret? Oh, I know you do. You’re detectives, after all. You thrive on secrets,” growled Nocturna.

Renee glared at her in the rear view mirror. “Only if you get the hell out of our heads---and I can see you in the mirror. Not even gonna question that. Already saw _pictures_ of you.”

“Of course. You two are boring anyway. Internalized homophobia and functioning alcoholism are unbelievably overplayed.”

Renee and Harvey exchanged a look of disgust. “That could be _both_ of us, jerk-off,” said Renee.

“Jerk-off?” teased Harvey.

She shrugged. “Caught Die Hard on cable the other day.”

“Love that movie.” Harvey turned to the backseat. “Okay, vampire lady. What’s the secret?”

Nocturna grinned. “Kate Kane is the Batwoman.”

Harvey wrinkled his nose.  “...didn’t you two used to date---”

“Harvey, I _swear to God...”_

 

* * *

 

Maggie must have visualized this moment hundreds of times over the past few months. Always the middle of the night, just after MCU starts Second Shift. She’s tired, but not _too_ tired. The city isn’t drowning in yet another crisis, somehow. Then, there are the variations. Sometimes she’d just gotten out of the shower, or about to put Jamie to bed. Other times, she was an hour or so into _Seinfeld_ re-runs and her sides were hurting from all the laughter.

But, mostly, it was just her with a cup of coffee, answering a door, and Kate would be behind it wearing something that screamed ‘I came right here after something important’. Her hair wouldn’t be the same, but not significantly. A little longer, maybe.

She’d look different.

So, when it quite literally happened, when Kate knocked on her door wearing something that screamed ‘I came right here after something important’ with her hair tied back, and Maggie holding a cup of coffee right after MCU started Second Shift, it took her a moment to process it.

To recognize that, even then, she _knew_ Kate Kane so well that she’d anticipated the exact circumstances, at least on her own end, in which she’d show up. How often is it that what plays out in your head actually happens?

If Maggie was prone to gambling, which she was not, she’d put her money on ‘never’.

 _“Kate_?”

“Hi, Maggie. We need to talk.”

Maggie paused, again, because---that...that wasn’t how it worked. She couldn’t just walk up to her home and say they _need to talk_ after leaving! Confidence was one thing but...but it was working and it really shouldn’t surprise her that it did. Kate was just standing there, eyes dulled and almost vacant.

And she was _smiling._ Her smile. That was genuine. That was real. At least, she thought it was.

Dammit, Kate.

“Come in.” And Kate did exactly that. No hesitation, no tension in her posture. She was _there_ and that had never been part of any plan or fantasy. Even as Maggie locked her door, the anger that she expected to bubble up from within her, the pain of betrayal, the frustration at how _stupid_ Kate had acted---it wasn’t there.

There was nothing. Just...nothing. The opening shot had gone exactly as anticipated, but _this_ ? She would have _never_ considered this.

“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked.

“Coffee, if you have any left.”

“I do.” Maggie poured her a cup. Two sugars. Mix. Hand off to Kate. Step back, put some distance between them, and stare at her while she sips her coffee. Was she gauging her? Did she just want coffee?

“Thanks,” said Kate, clearing her throat.  “How’s Jamie?”

“Good.”

“That’s good. I’m glad.”

Maggie stared at her in silence for what felt like several minutes. Waiting. Gathering her thoughts. Kate didn’t speak. But she only needed two words. Just two words to start the damn conversation.

Two. Damn. Words.

Kate took a small breath. “I’m sorry.” She swirled her cup. “I thought a lot about what I wanted to say on my way here, but it all sounds so meaningless now.”

Maggie frowned. “Why are you here, Kate?”

“I…” Kate looked away. “I needed to see you.”

“You needed to see me.” Maggie walked into her field of vision. “I’m tired. I just wanted to wind down for the night, and maybe watch some TV. Read a book. But, you wanted to see me.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Okay. Here I am.”

Kate rubbed her arm. “I’ve been through hell the last few days, and it’s put a lot of things in a new light. Or, an old one. A _better_ light. And I realized that---”

“You threw away the _one_ stable, healthy thing in your life, out of a twisted sense of nobility?”

“I don’t think I’d put it quite like that, but I suppose that’s fair.”

Maggie tilted her head. “Oh, it is more than fair. It’s downright generous.” She narrowed her eyes. “I should be furious with you. I should be tearing you out of frame for how immature and insulting you were; the way you left me. And to be honest, I have no idea why I’m not.”

Kate bowed her head. “Whatever it is you have to say, I’m sure I deserve it.”

“Is that why you’re here? You want me to _punish_ you? To validate all of this nonsense so you get some form of closure?”

“No! No, not---” Kate bit her lip. “I don’t deserve closure. But you do.”

Maggie took a very, very deep breath. “I told you to get off your damn cross, Kate. I _told_ you to do it, but you just couldn’t. You just couldn’t let anyone else shoulder the burden.” She set her jaw. “You _need_ to be a martyr, because if you’re not suffering, then others around you are instead. Which means you’re not _serving,_ right? Well, in case this never occurred to you, in your infinite wisdom...” She jabbed her thumb at her chest. “... _I’m suffering too._ ”

Kate slouched. “I know. I _know_ you are, and I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying to do what was best for you and Jamie. That’s all I---” She closed her eyes. “All I want is for the both of you to be safe and happy. Even if I can’t be a part of---”

“Jesus, Kate!” she said, cutting her off. “Nobody put you up there. Nobody asked you to bleed yourself dry. Nobody asked you to shoot yourself in the foot with a _howitzer.”_

“What else was I supposed to do?” Her eyes sunk back into her head, but she didn’t break eye contact. Not for a moment. “I couldn’t stay. You _know_ that.” She bit her lip. “And every time I tried to help you, I made it worse.”

“What are you _talking_ about?” Maggie raked her hand through her hair and walked into the living room. “You got one of the best family lawyers in the country to take our case in a two minute conversation! In what reality is that making things worse?”

Kate followed her, but kept her distance. “I antagonized Jay. I threw money at it and---”

“It’s a custody battle, Kate!” Maggie scoffed. “He was out for blood before you even knew what was happening. It changed nothing. And, good lord, you really...” She laughed, bitter. “Did you somehow forget how marriage works? Legally?”

“I don’t---”

“No, you _clearly_ don’t, and didn’t. All of that money, all of those resources, all of it. Everything you and I have, for better or worse, we would’ve shared that! It wouldn’t have been a charity case because we would have worked it _together!_ ” Maggie flashed her teeth. “You could have hired a _legion_ of the best lawyers in the world and terrified my ex-husband into dropping the case, and we would have never set a single foot in court.”

Kate chewed on her lip. “There was no guarantee that would’ve worked.”

“I know Jay better than anyone else, Kate, so when I tell you that it would have worked, you had better believe that I know what I’m talking about.” She furrowed her brow. “Did it ever occur to you that, for years, he was my best friend in the world? That I could trust him with anything? That I cared for him _so much_ that I lived in denial that much longer?”

Kate’s eyes widened. “No. I...I never really thought about it. I just assumed he was homophobic.”

“He’s not.”

“What? I don’t understand. Then why did he do this? Why did he want to steal Jamie away from you?”

“Because I destroyed his life, Kate. I came out of the closet and burned down the door. His whole life, his marriage, his happiness, everything he thought he had was a _lie._ ” Maggie rubbed her eye. “And you have no idea how hard I tried to convince him otherwise. I didn’t want to lose my best friend, but I did.”

“I’m so sorry, Maggie. I had no idea.”

“That’s the problem. Ever since I left he’s wanted to do the same thing I did to him. Tear out my life by the roots and salt the earth.” She laughed once. “What I’m trying to explain to you is that in your grand effort to not make things worse, all your stupid little deal did was _encourage him to keep trying._ ”

Kate froze, and tears fell down her cheeks. “How did you---he promised not to tell you!”

“Oh, he kept that promise.” Maggie took a few steps closer to her, scowling. “Did you seriously, for one second, think that I wouldn't be extremely suspicious that Jay just abandoned the case? You’re insulting my intelligence! For the love of God, I AM A DETECTIVE!” she yelled, slamming her palm into her chest. “I figured it out while I was reading your letter! What was that proverb you loved again?"

Kate closed her eyes.  “There's no hebrew word for coincidence.”  

“Exactly. Little difficult to forget something like that when your're a _detective_.”

“Why…” Kate took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you go after me if you _knew_?”

“Don’t you mean ‘Why didn’t I go after you at all’? Either way, the answer is the same.” Maggie raised her brows and held up a finger. “I’ll be right back.” She stomped off into her bedroom, grabbed the neatly folded letter out of the back of her dresser, tossing shirts on to the bed to get to it, walked back into the living room. She pressed the letter into Kate’s hands. “Read that and tell me the kind of person who wrote it.”

Kate hesitated, but after a few moments of staring at the letter, she nodded and started to read it. And it was almost painful to watch her go through it, because Maggie could tell, just by subtle changes in her posture and expression, in her breath and pupil dilation, the exact words she was reading. After all, she’d memorized it. Burned it into her brain as a reminder. A warning.

But then, the Kate who had written the letter wasn’t the Kate in front of her. Somehow, she’d known that from the moment she opened the door. And it wasn’t just because she came back.

There was something else behind those eyes. Something shaken, almost dead but growing stronger.

Kate sat on the ground and refolded the letter, setting it aside. “I gave up.” She sniffed, rubbed her eye with her palm, and sobbed.  Once. Twice. Before Maggie could react, Kate was bawling, her eyes puffy and red, her entire body shuddering as she cried.  “I---I _gave up on us._ ”

Maggie sighed and knelt down in front of her. “Yeah. You did, Kate. That’s exactly what you did. I didn’t follow you, or chase you, or try to hunt you down or anything like that because the Kate Kane that I fell in love with, the one that I knew, well, she wasn’t the one I kept running into while on duty.” She frowned. “She was insensitive, cruel, looked even more like a vampire than usual, and screwing a psychotic cannibal.”

Kate shivered and shook her head. “No. Not anymore. Never---never again.” She bit her lip. “I just got back from hell, kind of literally, and I thought I could come here and just talk to you.”  She covered her eyes. “Make things right, in any way I could. But now I’m bawling on your floor, and everything that’s happened the past few days is hitting me all at once, with the madness and... “ She took a deep breath. ”I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Maggie sighed and rose to her feet. “Alright. You had a messed up few days, weeks, months, but you still made it here. You want to try and make some of this right? Start trying and stop moping,” she said, crossing her arms. “Start proving that you’re who we _both_ thought you were, for a time. I remember her, even if you’re having trouble piecing it together.”

Kate’s eyes widened. “I am. I really am. God, Maggie, you have no idea.”

“I think I have some.” Maggie brushed some of Kate’s hair out of her face. “Kate Kane doesn’t stop. She doesn’t let anyone, or anything, slow her down. Not monsters, or ghosts, or cultists, or cabals, or _gorgons_ , or myths; not even getting stabbed in the heart could make her stumble.”

Kate looked up at her, through the tears. “She--- _I_ soldier on.”

“Yes. You do, or did. You _soldier on_ , no matter how bad, or how crazy things get.” Maggie frowned. “You’re here. You knocked on my door. You followed your gut. You want---no, _need_ to talk. _”_ She extended her hand. “So, let’s actually talk.”

Kate sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Okay.” She took Maggie’s hand, and held it for a moment before squeezing and pulling herself up. “You were right about Nocturna.” Kate’s hand fell away, and Maggie wanted it back just a little more than she’d expected. “I think that might be a good place to start…”

Maggie crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. “Really. You want to talk about your ex with your _other_ ex?

“No!” Kate held up her palms. “Maggie, you don’t understand the extent of how _right_ you were. About her being dangerous.”

Maggie blinked and her heart skipped a beat. “She tried to eat you,” she whispered.

Kate took a shaky breath. “No, not exactly.” She pulled her collar down, revealing two very distinct bruises on her neck. Fang marks. “She’s an _actual vampire_ . Somehow a daywalker, too. She got inside my head, convinced me I’d _butchered_ innocent people with visions of me doing it, tried to frame me for the murders. Force me to confess.”  

Maggie covered her mouth. “Oh my God.”

Kate nodded. “I know this is going to be hard to swallow, believe that it is for me too, but...she’s been…” She winced and cradled her head, mouthing words before she managed to speak them. “I didn’t want to---dammit, Maggie, I don’t know how else to explain this, but in a matter of _days,_ she _warped me into who she wanted me to be_ . _”_

Maggie widened her eyes. “Just how strong are you saying she is, Kate? How much control did she have over you?”

Kate’s eyes shook. “I caught a glimpse of her in _passing,_ that day on the courthouse steps, and in seconds I truly believed that I was sabotaging your life by _being in it._ That was all it took. She got in my head through cracks in my psyche. Said my ‘self-loathing martyr complex’ was a giant neon sign for her.”

“That’s psychotic.”

“Believe me, I know that now.” Kate massaged her temples. “The night after---after she nearly cut me open, I started hallucinating. Nightmares. I saw myself, gone completely mad, _slaughtering_ you while Natalia fed on Jamie, I--- ” She grunted. “Once I left, it just got worse. It only ever got worse. I had blackouts out on patrol, and huge gaps in my memory, so I’d regain lucidity and have no idea where I was or what had happened. Hours, days, maybe. Gone.” She covered her eyes. “I...there was nothing I could do!”

Maggie held her breath as she listened to Kate bare her soul. She wasn’t lying, and that much was clear even after taking into account that Kate was clinically incapable of blaming others for her own mistakes.  “Kate…” she whispered.

Kate shook out her head, as if she were clearing it of decay. “She made me docile. Blocked the parts of my brain that could’ve figured this out and fight her.” Kate raked her hands through her hair and walked over to the panoramic window, shivering. “She turned me into a living _doll_ and came so close to breaking me. I couldn’t resist her.” She massaged her forehead, stumbling over her words. “Every time I tried to do something, _say_ something, she’d smother it with sex.”

Maggie took a small breath and the pieces fell into place. All the little clues, and the big ones, forming together to become a tragic, frighteningly common conclusion. It wasn’t just the hypnosis at work. There was something far more mundane, too. She’d worked thousands of these cases before. They were never easy to stomach, and they never would be. “You didn’t want to disappoint her when you were with her,” she said, softening her tone. “But no matter what you did, no matter how much you sacrificed for her, it was never enough, was it?”

Kate turned back towards her and shook her head.  “No. It wasn’t. She always wanted more, and when there was nothing left for me to give she…” She furrowed her brow and traced her fingers along the fang marks on her neck. “...took my blood.” She winced and squinted, as if her head had throbbed. “And on some level, which just sickens me more, everything she did to me was what I wanted her to do. I knew my subconscious was a mess, never as much as she forced me to see.”

Maggie swallowed. Kate was too deep in denial; couldn’t force her to figure it out without pushing her away or hurting her more. She needed to _guide_ her through it as best she could. “How did this start?”

“The courthouse. The roof of the art museum. Take your pick.” Kate swallowed. “She broke into my apartment the night after we split up, just as I was dozing off. She twisted my head so I’d believe she was you. That was the first time she...” she whispered, her voice a little uneven.

Maggie nodded, encouraging her to continue. To let it it all out. Process it.

“...the first time.” Kate frowned. “I was with her for six months. Six months and I couldn’t see what was happening right in front me.” She made fists. “I thought...I thought I was _stronger_ than this.”

Maggie shook her head. “No, Kate, this has nothing to do with strength or intelligence, or anything like that. It’s systemic, calculated abuse on all fronts. No matter how brilliant, observant or strong-willed a person is, they are _not_ immune to this kind of thing.”

“That’s not good enough.” Kate grit her teeth. “I---I have to be _better_. I’ve always had to, needed to be, better. Damnit, I don’t even know _how many times_ she did this to me!”

“Kate, in the grand scheme of things, does the number really matter?” Getting closer. Still talking about hypnosis in general, but progress all the same. “Isn’t it bad enough that you know what she did?”

“That’s...no, it’s---it’s about the _memories_! The guilt, the fear, the pain; everything she blocked!” Kate walked back over to the window, her boots transitioning into a march. “She tore out swaths of my mind, my soul. I’m just...” She looked at her hands, eyes widening as tears streamed down her cheeks once again. “...I don't even _know_ anymore”

Maggie approached her. “It’ll all come back, okay? You don’t have to worry about that. It will. It’s just going to take some time.”

“No, no, Maggie, you don’t get it,” she said, shivering. “She stole my _goddamn_ faith!” Kate smacked her palms over her mouth with a loud clap. “That wasn’t a slip of the tongue. I know what that feels like. I’ve made that mistake before and it _never_ felt like nothing. It always felt like something.”   

Maggie raised her brows. “All right, let’s just take a deep breath---”

“You don’t believe me, do you?” Kate scowled and turned to her, angry tears streaking down her face and chin. “This happened, and I’m going to _take it all back._ My life, my soul, my memories, my faith; everything that was stolen from me. I don’t care what it costs me, or what it takes. I’m putting myself back together, piece by piece.” She took a deep breath and set her jaw. “ _I’m_ coming back.”

Maggie slowly approached her, taking a very close look as she did. In the amount of time they’d been having this conversation, her body language had changed _drastically._ Her speech pattern, too. Her eyes, lord, her eyes. No longer blank and catatonic. There was fury there. Passion, love, grief. Kate wasn’t exaggerating. She really had been forced to become someone else, and she truly was coming back right in front of her.

“I believe you.”

Kate looked at her, shocked. “You---you do?”

“I do. You still hurt me, Kate. You really did, but I need you to understand something right now.” She took a step closer.  “I need you to listen to me very carefully.  Can you promise me that?”  

“Anything. I promise.”

Maggie rested her hands on her shoulders and turned her towards her. “None of this is your fault.” She rested a finger on Kate’s lips before she had a chance to speak. “No. You are the victim. Everything she did to you, and by extension to me, isn’t your fault. You were not of sound mind and body. You were not yourself. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I didn’t fight hard enough,” Kate narrowed her eyes.  “I let her do this to me. I let her do this to you.”

“Kate, she _invaded_ your mind. I have no doubt that you fought as hard as you possibly could, but you were facing a powerful psychic without any sort of training. She abused you. She---” Not yet. She needed to process it on her own time. “She wound you up like a toy soldier and held you hostage.”

“No, I---”

Maggie shook her head. “You promised me you’d listen, Kate. None of this was your fault. Maybe you can’t admit right now, maybe it’ll take some time, but you are the victim. Nocturna shoulders all of the blame.”

“But everything you said---”

“I didn’t know.” Maggie pulled her into a hug and closed her eyes.  “I didn’t know, but I do now.” She rubbed her back. “How did you get away from her, Kate? How did you break free?”

“Beth.” Kate held her tight and sniffled. “She saved me. She came back, she’s doing better now, and she figured all of this out in _days._ Or maybe hours, I honestly don’t know.”

“She’s your twin. It doesn’t surprise me.”

“Yeah.” Kate chuckled once. “Nocturna tried to make me kill her. Tear her throat out with my teeth, and that’s what did it. I couldn’t, because I’m not a killer.” She sighed. “According to Beth, hypnosis can’t make you do something you wouldn’t do of your own free will, or something along those lines. It's rather unclear.”

Maggie swallowed and pulled back.  “Which means---”

“Yeah.” Kate dried her eyes. “That’s why she needed to use _you_.”

Maggie’s phone blared her emergency tone and she held up a finger, answering it. Gordon. “Jim?”

“ _Sorry to bother you in the middle of the night, Maggie, but I figured you’d want to hear this from me as soon as possible.”_

Maggie stepped away from Kate. “What’s that, sir?”

“ _Will you cut that out?_ You’re _Commissioner now, Maggie.”_

“I know, just a force of habit. What’s going on, _Batman?_ ”

“ _Heh. MCU---er,_ we--- _finally picked up Natalia Mitternacht, alias Nocturna, a few hours ago.  Got a streamed video from a burner straight to central of her confessing to the murder of her step daughter Alexandra Witherspoon, couple days back. She’s conscious now, heavily restrained, Montoya and Bullock are in there for questioning, working her for the other murders, but we’ve got a bigger problem right now. See, Harvey texted me before they got back to Central, to give me heads up on that_ directive. _”_

“Anti-Bat? Wait, then...” She closed her eyes. “Oh, God.”

_“Yeah. Mitternacht is accusing Katherine Kane of being the Batwoman. Now, we don’t have any definitive evidence to support that, yet, but the video stream we recorded clearly shows Batwoman in it. And she responds to ‘Kate’. That’s the short of it.”_

Maggie scowled. “I want my old job back.”

“ _Doesn’t work that way. Look, this is new ground for everybody. Nobody’s ever gotten this close before. At least, no_ civilian _has. Publicly.”_

“I know. And I _know_ Kate Kane, but something like this…” She pinched her brow. “It’s going to take some tight maneuvering. Something that damning may as well be proof that she _is_ the Batwoman in the eyes of the public.”

Kate’s eyes widened and she mouthed a very long string of curses.

“ _We’ll figure it out, Maggie.”_

“God willing. Okay, be ready to meet me on the roof.”

_“You got it.”_

Maggie hung up and looked over at Kate. Her fingerprints were all over the apartment. Probably a few loose hairs, and she wasn’t trying to hide when she showed up, so somebody saw her. Cab drivers, pedestrians, maybe even beat cops. “We’ll have to talk later, Kate. I’m sorry.”

“Nocturna’s trying to expose me. Beth was sloppy with the video. That’s what this is, right?”

Maggie nodded.

“She won’t.” Kate flashed her teeth and balled her hands into fists. “I won’t let her. She already screwed with my life once, and she won’t do it a second time. Not to me, not anyone. She wants to play hardball?” she growled. “Fine. I’ll play.”

Maggie narrowed her eyes. “No. We’ll play.” She grabbed Kate’s forearm. “You’re still Batwoman. What happened between us has to take a back seat right now, and it has nothing to do with what the Bat means to this city. If even _one_ of you gets unmasked in an actual trial, _within the system,_ it may as well be over.” She squeezed her arm. “It’s bad enough that Robin’s dead, even worse that Nightwing is, too. But with him, Dick Grayson, we got lucky. His outing maybe have been public, as well as his death, but nobody’s going to care about some kid from Chicago when the world gets taken over by an evil Justice League from an alternate dimension.”

Kate blinked. “Oh, yeah. I completely forgot about that.”

Maggie nodded.“Exactly. But this situation, it just keeps going. I’m all but positive that _Batman_ is for all intents and purposes dead, because he hasn’t popped up since he stopped the Joker. Jim...” She sighed. “You've probably noticed the learning curve, so let's leave it at that. What I'm telling you is that we can’t afford to lose one more.” She let go. “And I’m not just saying all of this because I’d be implicated in _so many things_ if you were convicted.”

Kate smiled.  “Thank you.”

“If we’re going to do this, we need to do this right. No loose ends." Maggie tilted her head. "Any ideas?”

“Oh, _Commissioner_ …” she smirked. “In the time it took you make that speech, I’d already come up with nine.”

Maggie couldn’t stop herself from smiling. _That_ was Kate. So, for the moment, she let herself hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, they’d make it through this. In as many ways as possible. She grabbed Kate’s coffee cup and dumped it in the sink. “You should get moving.”

But she was already gone.

“Godspeed, Kate.”

 

* * *

 

“ _What’s the matter, Katey? Disgusted by your own subconscious? Maybe I should’ve killed you instead of poor Alex. Put you out of your misery.”_

Renee furrowed her brow and rewound the video to the beginning. Again. To review all of the evidence. _Again._ She’d had her headphones on so long her ears were sweaty. Harvey was still grilling Nocturna, but judging by the yelling it wasn’t going well. “Damnit,” mumbled Renee, scootching closer to her desk and averting her eyes from the MCU’s bullpen caseboard. More black than red.

Three minutes, twenty-two seconds, shot from a burner phone and streamed. The audio wasn’t that crystal-clear, though, in the first half of the recording. Cheap microphones, but she could make out the words. Second half, she got closer. Got in a fight with Batwoman, and Renee could hear everything.

" _Hello, Kate. Do come in._ "

“ _We need to talk. Alex Witherspoon is dead. Murdered.”_

 _“Yes,, I know. I'd say it was tragic._   _Except it's not. But don't worry, darling. Your secret is safe with me."_

_“Secret?”_

_“Don't be so paranoid. I'm not wearing a wire. You killed her for me. I like that."_

_"I...what?"_

_"I found these at your place. Look at them."_

Bloodied gloves and utility belt, consistent with the design of the Batwoman. Meant to frame Batwoman for the murder of Witherspoon.

Renee sighed. Facial recognition could only get a partial match on the Batwoman, since they couldn’t confirm her nose or eyes. Just her jaw and mouth, really. Face could be powdered. The hair, though… Renee tabbed over to a recent photo of Kate Kane, wearing a sleek red dress at a gala for the Alliance for Lupus Research. Short hair. Could be a wig? She leaned back in her chair and gave MacDonald a tired wave as she passed with her coffee cup, Cohen close behind her, baffled as ever. He could’ve hid that mug under the floorboards and she’d _still_ find it like some sort of psychic.

" _No..."_

 _“I knew it was Alex's blood. I could_   _smell it. Killing her is such a lovely gift. Some women prefer_ _diamonds or furs, but, for my money, someone who will kill for you...now that’s priceless.”_

_“I...did this, didn’t I? Dear God, I killed an innocent woman...”_

“ _Innocent?_ _Far from it. That little brat tried to put me in jail! Do you know long I was in Arkham because of her?_ _But that’s all over, thanks to you."_

Batwoman was clearly being manipulated by Nocturna. It was obvious even before she was ordered to kill the mystery camera woman near the end of the video, even before Nocturna admitted to it. While it was true that Batwoman had responded to the name ‘Kate’ and ‘Katey’, that wasn’t enough. It was a common name, and her surname wasn’t uttered once. Apparently, the camerawoman was Batwoman’s sister, so that alone should prove that it couldn’t be Kate.

Kate’s twin sister was murdered almost twenty years ago.

But Renee couldn’t risk missing a single scrap of evidence. Not with the stakes being so high. If she unmasked a bat, she could cripple the city. Because if you take down one, the rest could fall just as easily.

_“Embrace this. Savor it. There is only us now. You have killed for me. You are mine.”_

_“Not quite.”_

The camera woman speaks, her voice identical to the Batwoman’s. Renee couldn’t deny that. Speaking in verse which she had already identified as Lewis Carroll. Renee’s first thought was Tetch, the Mad Hatter, but he wasn’t nearly tall enough for the footage to be shot from the angle it was.

" _You almost had me with your tale of childhood woe, Nocturna,_ _but you couldn't control yourself, could you? You had to grasp for more.”_

 _“B-beth?_ ”

Renee’s heart stopped. She paused the video and played that part again. And again. And again, and again. It must have gone over her head every time since she wasn’t thinking about a _supposedly dead twin._

_“Greed is most definitely not good.”_

" _A_ _re you going to let her destroy us, Kate? Your half-mad sister? How many times did she try to kill you?”_  

It was Kate. Kate was the Batwoman and somehow Renee had---well, it made _sense._ Almost like it was obvious, or that she'd always known that, for some reason. 

Renee looked up from her desk and caught the tail end of Davies and Crow arguing about canine rectal hygiene, so nothing out of the ordinary.

“Montoya, I’ll see you in my office.”

Renee looked up as Commissioner Sawyer, soaked from the thunderstorm, stomp into her office. “Yes, ma’am.” She closed her laptop and scooped it up, jogging into the office and closing the door behind her.

Commissioner Sawyer hung her coat up on the rack and dried off her hair with her spare work shirt. “Let me make one thing clear…” She sat down in her chair and leaned over the desk, clasping her hands together. “The conversation we’re about to have does not, under any circumstances, leave this room. It didn’t happen. You don’t know _anything._ Are we clear?”

“We are, ma’am.”

“Good.” Commissioner Sawyer looked at her laptop and sighed. “What did you want to show me, Renee?”

“Something neither of us want to see, Commissioner.” Renee opened her laptop and set it down in front of the Commissioner. “One minute, eight seconds.”

Commissioner Sawyer rewound the video. “It’s just Maggie for now, okay? Title doesn’t suit me at the moment,” She hit play and stared at it in shock. “Beth.” She closed the laptop and raked her hand through her hair. “Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, _FUCK!_ ”

Renee crossed her arms.  “Guessing that means she’s alive, Maggie.”

“Yes. She is, but---that’s new. The last few years, at the most. It’s a long story that we don’t have time for.” She took a deep breath. “Who else has seen this, Renee?”

“Everyone in second shift, now that Natalia is making a formal accusation, but I’m positive nobody made this connection. Besides the two of us…” She looked out the window, the storm picking up even more as the rain began pouring sideways. “Can’t imagine anyone else would. You should watch the rest.”

Maggie rubbed her eyes and did just that while Renee continued to stare out the window. It made sense. Kate Kane being Batwoman. It made a scary amount of sense, not to mention the perfect cover. Socialite globetrotting philanthropist is vigilante by night. Kate had been aimless in her ambition before, but apparently she just needed the right goal. The right motivation to serve.

The right _method._  

“This is worse than I thought it’d be,” said Maggie, closing the laptop. “We’ve got an HD closeup of her face in the cowl, her voice coming in very clearly, her skin tone in several different lightings thanks to that damn fireplace, and she keeps responding to Kate.”

“Lesbian ‘Sid and Nancy’,” said Renee. “Narrows it down even further.”

“No kidding. The only thing we can be thankful for right now is that Beth’s face never shows up in frame. Not even a _reflection._ ”

“How do you want to handle this, Maggie? We expose one---”

“House of cards, I know. She said she already had a few ideas, but outside of us destroying evidence, which I pray it doesn’t come to _,_ I don’t see a way out of this. Because if she runs, Jim will have to _hunt_ her.” Maggie leaned back in her chair. “As far as I can tell, if she comes in and testifies as Kate Kane, about the sexual assault, rape, though she’s in pretty deep denial for _that_ one, hypnosis and everything else Nocturna did to her, then she’s basically convicting herself. With a little digging, we’d find that the timelines match up perfectly.”

“Yeah, was thinking the same thing.” Renee looked at Maggie for a moment. “Is she alright? I know you two broke up but---”

“She’s…” Maggie pinched her brow. “She’s coming around. Or, she will, once all this is over, I’m sure.” She looked at Renee. “She showed up at my apartment earlier, and she didn’t even realize what had happened to her. I helped walk her through most of it, and then...it was like watching her come back from the dead. It was _so fast,_ Renee.  And she was aware of everything. I...forgot how _strong_ she was.”

“That’s...good.”

“Yeah. It’s good.”

Renee scratched the back of her head. “What if...what if Beth dressed up as Batwoman while we were questioning Kate? Impersonated her. Showed up in the same place at the same time.” She put a hand on her hip. “Nobody can be in two places at once.”

“That’s the kind of thing that would work if public records didn’t say she had an identical twin.”

“A twin that everyone thinks is dead.”

“Which just brings us back to the footage, Renee. Beth and Kate. Kate and Beth. One of which is a killer, but that could mean anything, technically.” She said, weighing them side by side. “Still, if it comes down to it, we’ll play that card. Look, even if, _somehow,_ Clayface was on our side, that’d be the same problem. Unless…” She put a finger to her lips.  “...we had access to a select few D.E.O. documents...”

Renee wrinkled her nose. “The Department of Extranormal Operations? What do they have to do with this?”

“That’s another long story we don’t have time for. Broad strokes: They went full witch hunt on the Bats, unmasked Batwoman, collared her with blackmail regarding her father.” Maggie started cycling through the contacts in her phone. “But, in the process of investigating who the Batwoman was they suspected _me._ In fact, I was at the top of their list for a while.”

Renee raised a brow. “...and you can get in contact with an agent who was present during the unmasking?”

“No. I can do you two better.” She handed her phone to Renee, showing a picture of shorter blonde woman in her early thirties. “The agent who _performed_ the unmasking, and Batwoman is going to bring her right to us.”

“Name?”

“Cameron Chase.”

 

* * *

 

Kate wiped the rain off of her phone screen and held it under her cape. The case was water, acid and explosive resistant, but it was still a pain to read when wet. Thunder and lightning cracked the sky and lit up the bay, illuminating her against the edge of the cobblestone apartment complex.

Fifteen floors above the target window, judging by wind speed and distance, she was well within her safety net. Never hurt to double check the math, when she was able. And the address. That was a mistake you could only make _once_ without being called an amateur.

And Batwoman was no amateur.

She pocketed her phone and smirked. Should she go in loud, or...well, the _fun_ way. God, it felt good to be in control again. Full control. At least, for the moment. Once the dawn broke, there was no telling what would happen next.

Better enjoy her freedom while it lasted.

Kate dove off of the roof and opened her cape, gliding across the street and through the alley, rain battering down as it flapped in the wind, red spread like a call to arms. She landed silently on the fire escape and kept herself close to the brick. The window was, of course, locked, but it wasn’t anything fancy. So simple to pick.

Strange that there wasn’t an alarm system, though. Trip wires, micro-explosives---maybe Kate was just paranoid. More than usual.

She slid the window open and vaulted inside, shutting it behind her. Kate switched to night-vision, and found herself in what was probably a kitchen. Which meant that, as she’d previously assumed, Cameron Chase lived in her office. She peered around the corner, finding the hallway, which lead to her front desk, clear.

The layout she’d been able to dig up on such short notice didn’t list furniture, or anything detailed enough to account for possible false walls or hidden weapons, so she’d have to improvise. She stuck a sonic emitter to the edge of the kitchen doorframe and checked the adjacent bathroom.

Clear. Laundry...closet? Clear. Pantry? Full, and apparently vegan, but clear. All that was left was the bedroom, which was closed, and the front desk proper.

Kate slid her hand underneath the desk and---yup. .50 AE Desert Eagle. She unloaded it, including the one in the chamber, into one of her free pouches, and was very glad she did. Action Express rounds. Chase had to be a special kind of paranoid to keep a panic weapon with those. She reloaded the clip and stuck the gun back into its hiding place.  

The rest of the desk was clean, and she’d almost forgotten how satisfying it felt to _prepare_ an encounter beforehand. Note to self: find better ways to do that while _in_ the encounter as well.

Kate grinned to herself. She shut off her night vision as she knocked on the front door (from the inside, but Chase snored, so she wouldn’t know the difference) and snuck over to the bedroom door, just outside of her probable field of view. She heard shuffling, groaning, the creek of a bed, and the telltale jingle of a belt being forced on.

The door swung open and almost hit Kate in the face. _Almost_.

“Damnit! Hold on, don’t leave, I’m up, I’m up…” grumbled Chase. “Middle of the damn night.” She switched on the lights, opened the door, and glared at the empty spot where there _should_ have been a customer. She sighed, closed the door, and very clearly dropped her guard.

Perfect Stealth.

“How’s business, _Agent Chase_ ? Or is it _investigator_ , now?”

Chase yelped and spun around, her shock quickly transitioning to confusion, anger, and then...relief? “Oh, thank God. I thought you were an _assassin._ ” She waved her off and sat down at her desk. “The hell do you want, Batwoman?”

Kate tilted her head. “Information. After you resigned from the D.E.O., the case and operation files related to Bones and his crusade on the Bat vanished from their server base. I want to know what happened to them.”

“Bones was an embarrassment to the federal government. A _big_ one.” Chase yawned. “Besides the obvious part about him being a living skeleton that could kill people by touching them---don’t ask me, I’m just as lost as you are---he fucked up so badly they purged most of his anti-vigilante records. Nearly everything is either gone or doctored irreparably.”

“You’re lying.” Kate stepped towards her. “Not completely, _most_ of that was true, but you’re holding something back.” She leaned over her desk. “I didn’t come here to get violent; you could have outed me publicly anytime you wanted to, but you didn’t. So right now, I’m asking nicely, out of gratitude.”

Chase gave her a snide look. “Gratitude? That what this house call is?”

“There were twelve other ways into this office that would accomplish the same end result, most of them violent or involving excessive property damage, and I’m on a strict schedule, so the fact that I’m taking the time to do this quietly should say a lot.”

“It does, just not the message you intended, _Kate._ ” Chase drew the gun from under her desk, significantly _faster_ than she’d anticipated, and pressed the barrel to Kate’s forehead.  “Only tells me you’re just as naive as I remember. What makes you think I’ll tell you _anything,_ ” she snarled. “You ruined my life. You destroyed my career. I’m stuck in this goddamn city because of you, believe me I’ve tried to leave but _no one_ will hire me when all of my references are either dead or don’t officially exist! Hell, even if they did, I was still disavowed!” she seethed. “And the only reason, the _only_ one, I didn’t ‘out’ you was because I didn’t have enough evidence to prove it!”

“Not enough? So you have _some._ That’s a start.” Kate grinned. “Do you want me to break the _other_ arm, Cameron? We’ve been down this road before.”

“You make one move and I’ll blow your damn brains out, Kate. Don’t think I won’t.”

“Really. Did you forget that _you_ gave me this bulletproof suit?”

“No. But I _do_ remember exactly the caliber it was certified to protect you against. 7.62mm to the head, and you don’t even blink. Get the right angle, and a .50 would only bruise you.” She scoffed. “Hell, you could even shrug off incendiaries in most situations. But at _this_ range, factor in armor piercing rounds, and the slightly thinner armor in the faceplate, you’re dead. Puncture that fancy nanotube layering and into the back of your skull.”

“Interesting theory.” Kate sighed. “I’m giving you one last warning, Cameron. Put the gun down, or this gets ugly.”

“Fuck you.”

_Click._

Chase stared at her pistol. _Click._ _Click click click_.

Kate frowned and twisted Chase’s wrist until the gun fell from her hand and on to the floor. She slammed Chase’s head into the desk, denting the hardwood, and held her down. “Look, I’m sorry your life got screwed up. Really, I am. You got sucked into some madman’s crusade and got caught in the crossfire. You know my history, so you _know_ I’ve been there.”

“How touching,” growled Chase, attempting to commandeer one of the throwing knives in her gauntlets.  

“You can’t beat me. Stop trying.” Kate twisted her wrist further, and Chase hissed.  “And really, you can’t keep blaming me for the government cutting you loose and blackballing you.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to hurt you, Cameron. Much as I hate to admit it, you’re a good person; you _cared_ about those kids.”

“If you don’t want to hurt me so much, then why are you pinning me to my desk!?”

“Well, you _did_ try to shoot me with a gun you had reserved for, what, _Deathstroke_?” Kate rolled her eyes. ”Not surprising, since you’ve always been an arrogant ass and treated me like garbage, but...you’ve _never_ been Bones.” She sighed. ”We’re getting off track. I’m tired. I came here for information, and possibly your help, if you were ameable. Just tell me where the files are and I’ll be on my way.”

“How the hell do you know I have _files_ on you?”

“Because you’re old school like that. I mean, good lord, you gave me the whole Q routine every time you handed me new equipment.”

Chase frowned. “I was not going to be the Moneypenny to _your_ Bond.”

“ _Nobody_ wants to be Moneypenny, but I’m no Bond.” Kate grinned. “I’m not _nearly_ as successful with women as he is.”

“Well, thank God for that.” Chase huffed. “Fine. Let me up. They’re behind a false panel in my dresser.”

Kate got off of her.  “Okay. Try anything funny and I’ll blow out your eardrums. And everything made of glass.”

“Charming.” Chase rubbed her wrist and stumbled back into her bedroom, returning with a few thick manilla folders.  She set them down on the desk.  “Can’t corroborate anything in there that could stick to you, so I’m not sure why you want it, but here you go. Mostly tertiary information, some odds and ends, support staff reports, but there’s details on that nightmare raid on the Religion of Crime's ‘Batwomen Compound’, too. Where I found Beth in that giant sarcophagus, as I'm sure you recall.” She frowned. "Though  _that_ specific detail isn't in there."

“Aces.” Kate started rifling through the files. Huh. Minimal information, mostly redacted, but enough to implicate the Crows in her two year absence from Gotham. Confirmation that the D.E.O. _did_ enlist the Batwoman as a freelancer, but at a cursory glance it didn’t look like her identity, or the details of Bette’s injuries, were even documented. “Anything on my father?”

“They got to those before I could, as far as I know. He’d have been arrested, court martialed, and tried for treason if that weren’t the case. Guess that part of the deal held true. Lucky you.” Chase crossed her arms. “The Red Alice incident at Fort Richards is still classified, but officially now. If it leaks, your involvement will be too, but more in the way of ‘you saved Gotham from literally drowning in cyanide’ than ‘you’re a terrorist’. Just like Batman.” Chase rubbed the side of her head and winced.  “Now, to sate my own curiosity, when you said _help,_ what exactly did you mean?”

“Vampire brainwashed me and made me her personal sex doll over the course of several months; Beth broke her hold on me so now she wants to destroy my life by proving I’m Batwoman, and I’m pretty sure she can. In a way.”

Chase’s eyes widened.  “Oh my God.”

“Yeah, I am _not_ dealing with all of that emotionally right now. Or in any sense, really. I dodge this conviction, _then_ I can focus on that.”

Chase ran a hand through her hair. “I...Kate, I’m so sorry.”

“You’re sorry? Good for you. Your sentiment means _ever so much_ ,” grumbled Kate. “They’re going to bring you in as a witness if this thing gets to court, and it almost definitely, and hell you’ll probably get called in for questioning before that, so if you want to help, well, _that’d be great._ ”

“What can I do?”

Kate looked up from the files. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. How can I help you?”

Kate narrowed her eyes. “Why do you want to help?”

“Jesus christ, Kate, do I need a reason with a situation like that?! My heart’s not made of stone.”

“Sure,” she said, unamused. “What do you want in return?”

Chase crossed her arms. “Get me my old job back.”

“And how exactly am I supposed to do that?”

“You’re the Batwoman. Figure it out.”

“Fine. Deal.” She handed Chase the files. “Call that twenty-four hour courier serivce, ‘Gotham by Bike’, request Greg. Busy, but he’ll be there, always is; never let me down before. Have it delivered to Commissioner Margaret Sawyer at Gotham Central. Pay them double, up front in cash, hand them a thick red marker, and say it’s for ‘a friend of the bat’.”

Chase nodded. “Got it. And what type of vampire are we talking about?”

“Lesser daywalker telepath. Meta-level strength and regeneration. Somehow appears in photographs and mirrors.”

“Sounds like a grab bag of _fun._ Can she breathe fire, too?”

“What?” Kate pulled back her head. “Not as far as I’ve seen, but then again, _vampires,_ so…” Kate walked over to the window, retrieving the sonic emitter and disarming it along the way.  “...I’ll keep that it in mind.”

“So, are you going to fill me in on the plan---”

“Not yet.” Kate opened the window and hopped on to the fire escape. “Night’s young, I’ve still got too many pieces in motion, and I have some… _f_ _riends_ to brief.” She rolled out her shoulders. “If you don’t hear from me again, _play along_ with whatever is happening. You’re a spy. _Figure it out_.” She shot her grapnel gun into the air and shot up into the sky.

Not even midnight and already making progress. More importantly, though, she didn’t lose control. She didn’t get unnecessarily violent, despite her threats. At worst, Chase would have a few minor bruises, but she’d be fine with some tylenol.

She’d always had Beth’s voice, the one in her head, to help her with self-restraint, but after Nocturna---well, now she knew for sure. That she could do still do this the right way. Any corruption she’d succumbed to wasn’t permanent.

She really _was_ coming back.

She hoped.

Kate opened her cape and looked out towards Old Gotham.

The bat signal was on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, all of this made sense. Or, if it didn't these notes will clarify some things on how I'm approaching...stuff. Like, obviously, Bruce is still in his amnesiac-state and Jim is Batman at the moment. However, even though this should be pretty heavily implied by the lack of Cassandra Cain in the character listing, this takes place BEFORE the events of "Batman and Robin Eternal". But after "Savage Dawn", "Batman Eternal", "Endgame", etc. So, WE know Damian isn't dead, but he's not in Gotham. Same with Dick Grayson, since he's still working with Spyral at the moment with Helena Bertinelli.
> 
> "Grayson" is actually a great read, btw. Highly recommend it. It's this fantastic blend of post-post-modern weird, 60s spy movie and excessively accurate counter-terrorism because the co-writer used to do be an analyst for the CIA! Also everyone keeps staring at Dick's butt because it's the BEST butt and that running gag is hilarious.
> 
> The section where Renee reviews the video footage is ripped from Batwoman #40, so if you want clarification on that, ideally you have a digital/physical copy, or you can [click this handy-dandy link I totally didn't place right here.](http://readcomiconline.to/Comic/Batwoman/Issue-40?id=3297)
> 
> That initial Kate/Maggie scene was extremely difficult to write. Y'know, besides the obvious reasoning. It's supposed to be a transitional conscious effort to pull Kate back from the shitty characterization she fell into (that was universally panned and got her book cancelled) and return to the woman she effectively was before it all went to hell. At least, externally. Trauma and abuse don't really work like that, so it happens in pieces. She's weakened and cracked, at first. Then she's deducing what happened to her WHILE her mind tears off the rest of Nocturna's influence, and finally, with a clear and urgent mission thrust upon her, most of her just CLICKS back into place thanks to good ol' muscle memory. 
> 
> Because she's a soldier, not a warrior. I mean she's still operating in heavy denial about what happened to her, but the point is that she's soldiering on. That she's KATE KANE, not...whoever the fuck that other person was. 
> 
> Regarding Renee:
> 
> So, because of the New52 relaunch, and how Renee more or less stopped existing for around 4/5 years outside of maybe two references, it's extremely unclear as to how much of Renee's arc and characterization are still intact. For the moment, the most relevant aspects to the story are the events of 52 (the series) and Gotham Central. Kate still remembers being stabbed in the heart, but since Charlie is still alive, and The Question is a completely separate entity, things get...confusing. Did Two-Face still out Renee the same way? What was different in how she left the GCPD so that she transferred to Bludhaven instead of quitting outright? How did she stay sober/quit smoking without Charlie's intervention? Even stranger is that Jim Corrigan, the original host of the Spectre, is the current canon host, which means he doesn't live within the resurrected Crispus Allen...and also THIS Jim Corrigan and the Jim Corrigan that murdered Allen are completely different people so---see? It goes around in circles, but that's why Renee doesn't 'remember' that she was the first to figure out Kate Kane was Batwoman, but also why she almost immediately accepts it as truth.
> 
> And yes, that 'phantom memory' concept has an awesome payoff, imho. It was something I wrote out before I even knew what DC Rebirth was, so hey, it worked out great!
> 
> "Gotham by Bike" is something I made up, because I was trying to figure out how Batman and Co. got physical evidence to the GCPD when they couldn't deliver it in person for whatever reason. Obviously, the "Greg" is Greg Rucka, so that's a fun little thing. There are also around 5 or 6 direct references to "Gotham Central" scattered around, if you can find them. 
> 
> And, in case it wasn't already hilariously obvious (it is for me), this story draws a lot of inspiration from "Gotham Central" and "Bruce Wayne: Murderer". I'll give you one guess who also had major writing credits on those stories :P 
> 
> So, what did you folks think of the chapter and the premise? Everyone in character? Do you want to see what happens next? I have worked my patootie off on this story, and it feels great to share it.


	2. Call to Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A curveball bigger than they can catch, a long overdue show of solidarity, banter that was desperately needed, and one batshit insane opening move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://imgur.com/hjiJN9j)   
> 

Renee walked back into the interrogation room, the bright lighting only making Nocturna appear more demonic than normal. So damn smug, even with that WayneTech inhibitor collar around her neck. Completely healed and grinning from ear to ear.

Harvey was already sitting across from her, arms crossed with bruised knuckles, which didn’t bode well. Her partner could hit _hard,_ not that she condoned that kind of thing. At least, not anymore. Vampire rapist was dreadfully close to where she drew that new line, though. Problem was, if Nocturna didn’t even have a scratch on her, again, how the hell were they supposed to get anything out of her by _negotiating_?

“Wanted to see me, Harv?” said Renee, leaning over her chair.

“Yeah. Like I said, we, uh, got a development,” he said, chewing his words.

“Detective Montoya. _Renee_ ,” hissed Nocturna in a tone that was probably supposed to be seductive, but only made her skin crawl. “Thank you for joining me. I’ve come to the conclusion that I have something you want. And that you have something _I_ want.”

“You want to make a deal,” said Renee. She turned to Harvey. “Seriously? You’re entertaining this?”

“Just listen, will you?” said Harvey, throwing his hand into the air. “Now, tell her what you told me.”

Nocturna somehow managed to grin wider. “It’s so simple, really. I want Kate Kane, the  _Batwoman,_ destroyed. Behind bars. In Arkham. It doesn’t matter, as long as her life is over.” She leaned forward across the table.  “Now, tell me again how many charges of murder I have against me?”

Renee frowned and stood up straight. “Thirteen, with more to follow. Witherspoon’s a lock, but the rest will be too.”

“Right. See, I happen to have a lot of friends with my... _particular_ condition. I know where they are, how they operate, how many they’ve killed, and who. And how long they’ve been active.” She furrowed her brow. “I can give you _everything,_ detectives. Think about it." She smiled. "Hundreds, possibly thousands of families finally gaining closure and peace for all of those unsolved murder, kidnapping and abduction cases.”

“That’s not how this works, Natalia!” growled Renee, stalking over to the table and glaring into the eyes of the demon. “You can’t trade information for someone else’s conviction!”

“Well, no, not officially, but you’d have the information all the same.”

“Even if we _did_ get it, none of it would be admissible. It’d be tainted.”

Nocturna rolled her eyes. “Oh, and the fact that I’m a _vampire_ isn’t?” She laughed. “You put one of us before a jury anywhere outside of Gotham and we’d walk. We always have, because _nobody_ wants to believe it. Even when the truth stares them in the face. So don’t try and play the righteous cop, Renee,” she sneered. “Even if the _police_ can’t use the information, you know who can. And who will." She shrugged. "You may not get any recognition, but can you really stand there, look me in the eye and tell me that trading the life of one woman for the peace of mind of _thousands_ isn’t the right choice?”  

Renee curled her lips into a snarl. Of course the psychotics were always so _pragmatic._ How could she have forgotten that? “That’s not my call to make.”

“Mmm, no, I do believe it is, Renee.”

Harvey put his hand on her shoulder. “Take a walk, partner.”

Renee made fists and glared at him.

“Trust me. I can handle her bargain basement crazy.” He patted her on the back. “Get some air.”

Renee narrowed her eyes. He wasn’t being condescending. She really _did_ need to walk it off, or she’d get even more violent than he did. That old darkness she’d fought so hard to bury, boiling up once the right case came along. She’d known it would happen, but not so soon.

Commissioner Sawyer’s voice cracked in over the intercom. _“Montoya, a word?_ ”

“On my way.”

Renee left the interrogation room, took a sharp left and slipped into observation, only for Commissioner Sawyer to stop her and turn her around, pointing her out toward the bullpen.

“Grab your coat, and some cigarettes. Meet me on the roof in five.”

“But I quit---”

“Roof. Five minutes.” Maggie shoved a half-empty pack into her hand. “Make sure they’re _visible._ Don’t make me repeat myself, Montoya.”

Renee nodded and sat at her desk. She watched Commissioner Sawyer make her way up to the roof out of the corner of her eye, and then stared at the pack of cigarettes in her hands.

Someone had once told her, in a voice and tone so distinct that she could never forget: ‘How many packs a day?’ Not in the same way others had. That time was different. She didn’t know how, but it just was.

Renee could never remember his face. It always came up blank, but still she _k_ _new_ it was important. That he had been, to her, to...others. Almost a phantom memory, if there ever was such a thing. She heard the same voice whenever she was tempted to drink, too, but then it was just...conversation folded over itself.

Noise.

Maybe it was a guardian angel. Maybe she’d finally snapped after she left Gotham. In the end, it didn’t matter. She’d quit both a long time ago, and never questioned it. But, somehow, she felt like she _should_ have.

Questioned it.

Renee grabbed her coat and made her way up to the roof, shielding herself from the torrential downpour of rain that, again, only seemed to be getting worse.  She raised her brows as she saw…’Batman’ standing beside Commissioner Sawyer, crowded around the cracked lit Batsignal. Gordon looked a little more worse for wear than the both of them. As much as one could in that black suit, at least. He motioned for her to lock the door, and she did.

“Roof’s secure, Renee,” he said. “We can talk freely. The rain’ll make sure of that.”

Renee raised a brow and ducked under Commissioner Sawyer’s umbrella. “Pertaining to what?”

“The Batwoman.” Gordon tilted his head. “Maggie told me that you’d figured it out before she had the chance to bring you in. That true?”

“It is.” She swallowed. “But, if you don’t mind, why am I here? Why bring _me_ in?”

“You mean _besides_ the fact that you didn’t start running your mouth to everyone in the MCU the second you accidentally joined our little club?” asked Maggie. “Same reason you’re on the Batman task force to begin with.”

Gordon nodded. “You’re good police, Renee. Exceptional, even. You might’ve left us for a while, but the important part is that you came back. Know how many do that? Leave Gotham and move back out of a sense of duty and responsibility?”

“Not many.”

He sighed. “Very, very few. What’s more, though, you’re _from_ here. Grew up here. You understand what the Bat means to the people of this city better than almost everyone because you _are_ one of them.” He looked to Maggie. “We can’t quite say the same.”

“Thank you.” Renee nodded and tried not to smile. “So, you need boots on the ground.”

“The _right_ boots on the ground, Renee. One’s we know we can trust.”

Maggie nodded. “And the kind that understands that, in moments like these, we’re on the same level.”

Gordon looked to the bat in the sky and crooked his lips to the side. “We’ve waited long enough. Maggie, if you could bring us all up to speed?”

Maggie pinched her brow. “Things are not going as well as they could be. I have a lot of pieces to a puzzle I don’t know. And with Nocturna’s latest curveball, the bureau will step in once they get a whiff of it. And I think she knows that.”

Renee shrugged. “So we fix this before they do, and before _Batman_ is forced to hunt her down.”

“That’s the migraine inducing goal, yes. However…” Maggie pulled a wet piece of wrapping paper out of her pocket. “I got a package about ten minutes ago. No return address, sent anonymously by that twenty-four hour courier service the Bats love to use, with _this_ under the card.” She unfolded the paper to reveal a bright red bat symbol. “So we’ve got a few more pieces to work with.” She handed a fat manilla folder to both Renee and Gordon. “Courtesy of Cameron Chase.”

Gordon skimmed through his file. “It’s almost completely redacted. There’s more black than there is white paper.”

“How the hell did you call this?” Renee started flipping through it. Black marks, black marks, information about a black ops team called the ‘Murder of Crows’ that served with Kate’s father.  Tons of redactions, but evidence that Chase _did_ perform Batwoman’s unmasking for the D.E.O. “You had to have suggested it beforehand.”

Maggie shook her head. “It didn’t occur to me at the time, so she must’ve come to the same conclusion. But my gut tells me this doesn’t help with that ‘seeing double’ strategy like I thought it would. Only that it strengthens the case against her.”

“So why would she send it?”

“She’s got a plan, but she can’t bring us in quite yet.”

“But wouldn’t we be able to help more effectively if we knew all the facts?”

Gordon shook his head. “No, we wouldn’t. Operational security. She keeps us in the dark as much as necessary, so if one of us is compromised, the entire op doesn’t collapse.” Renee and Maggie gave him a look.  “I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you two. Trust me, that’s how it was done in the Marines.”

“He’s not wrong,” said Batgirl, stepping out of the shadows. “Evening, uh, ‘Batman’. Commissioner Sawyer. And, good to see you made it back safe, Detective Montoya.”

“Thanks,” said Renee. “No offense, but, why did you even answer the call? It’s one thing to let you run off when there’s a vampire in the mix, but this is---it’s Gotham Central.”

"Your point? It’s pretty easy to tell it wasn’t a trap." Batgirl made a show of looking around. "For one, you haven’t lit that up in what, five months? I mean, come on, the blimp isn’t even in the air.” She bit her lip. “Anyway, I’m sorry that you have to hear this from me, but, just to put all of this to rest, _Batman_ will be unavailable for the foreseeable future. He apologizes that he’s not able to deliver the message in person, but he---we want you to take down the signal.”

“Oh for…” Maggie pinched her brow. “You mean he’s actually dead. He’s not just out of commission.”

“That’s _not_ what I said.”

“How naive do you think we are, Batgirl? How else are we supposed to take that?”

“Take it however you want, Commissioner.” Batgirl frowned. “I didn’t _have_ to answer the call, you know. I could have left you hanging and wondering, like you have been for months, wondering if he'd make some _miraculous return,_ but I didn’t. Look, whatever you needed _Batman_ for, which this one couldn’t handle, I’ve got it covered." She put her hands on her hips. "And if I don’t, I’ve got plenty of backup.”

Gordon sighed. “That’s the problem, Batgirl. We wanted to tell you and your...friends to keep out of the Batwoman case.”

Batgirl gave him a hard look. “What case? What are you talking about?”

“You don’t---” Renee raised her brows. “Son of a bitch, I think he really _is_ dead.”

Gordon waved her off. “Batgirl, any move you and your people try to make will implicate that Kate Kane _is_ the Batwoman, and that you’re protecting one of your own. Nobody on this roof wants that to happen, so please, stay out of it. Don’t force our hand.”

Batgirl’s eyes widened. “How did---” She shook her head. “Nevermind, there’s only one way it could. But, I’ll pass on the message, Robo-Bat.” She walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked over her shoulder. “You’ve got a plan though, right?”

“We do, but we're pretty sure it's the one she wants us to have.”

Batgirl smirked. “Even better.” She dove off the roof and shot up into the sky, purple and gold vanishing into the black.  

“Was hoping she’d show up.” Gordon shut off the signal. “She’ll make sure they don’t interfere.”

Maggie raised a brow. “How can you know that?”

“I just do.”

Renee swallowed. “If Batman’s _officially_ out of the game, it’s only a matter of time before word spreads. The whole city’s thinking it, but there’s still some level of doubt. He’s been gone before. And if _Batwoman_ falls too...”

“It’s worse than you think, Renee,” said Maggie. “Domino effect. With Robin and Nightwing gone...” She sighed. “Batgirl’s capable, but she’s sloppy. Or just got out of retirement, I’m not sure. She’ll make mistakes; big ones, and that’s not something we can risk. Red Robin doesn’t even operate in Gotham anymore, as far as we know. And Red Hood is... _Red Hood_. And you, Jim…” She poked him in the chest. “...require an entire armored task force to do your job right. And a blimp. Once the big bads figure out Gotham’s not nearly as defended as they assume, and that the Batman isn’t just waiting for them to make a move, that's it.” Maggie furrowed her brow. “We lose Kate, and we could lose the city.”

“That’s not fair, Maggie,” said Jim. “I _fought_ with the Justice League against Vandal Savage and his crazy superkids!”

Maggie narrowed her eyes. “Which you were only able to do because you went full-lethal and had the _entire extended Justice League_ to back you up!”

“What’s your point? We’re police, we don’t _do_ lone wolf.”

“You’re right, we don’t. But sometimes, we _need_ people who can. Just because we’re as good, doesn't mean we’re as fast, Jim. I don’t like it either, but you of all people can’t deny that.”

Gordon crossed his arms. “No. I can’t.”

Renee felt a chill run up her spine. “When it rains in Gotham, oh boy does it _pour.”_ All they had left was a robot suit that got shot up every time they deployed it, a kid from Burnside and, presumably, a couple junior Bats. They couldn’t hold the big Joker-sized line. They’d get snapped in half. “What’s our next move?”

“Well, that’s the tricky part, Renee,” said Gordon. “One way or the other, we’re going to have to bring Kate Kane in for questioning after shift change.”

“I can’t slow things down any longer than that without arousing suspicion,” said Maggie. “Mayor Hady’s already called me three times since I informed him of this. The video and Nocturna’s testimony regarding their ‘romantic relationship’ is more than enough, especially since the gossip mags loved it so much.”

“D.A.’s gonna rush this to court,” said Renee. “It’s still Willis, right?”

“That she is. Best guess I’ve got is two to three weeks after she’s charged.” Gordon huffed. “Normally, I’d say, if we’re smart and a little lucky, we can keep her in holding for the three-day limit to buy us more time, but...”

Renee frowned. “It’s too high-profile. Once we get her in the building, she _will_ be charged. That’ll leak to the press, and all hell will break loose,” said Renee. “No way around that.”

“Agreed.” Maggie checked her watch. “We’ve got around five hours and some change until the point of no return, not counting how long Kate can stall without raising some eyebrows.  We have to work under the assumption that she’ll be denied bail. Hell, they’ll put her in _solitary_ if they can manage it.”

“Okay, here’s how we play this…” Gordon handed his file to Renee. “Until we get word, we build the case against her. Make it as strong as we can. Leave no stone unturned, no person of interest unquestioned.”

“That’s all we can really do. Throw the entire MCU at this.” Maggie sighed. “Renee, I need you to go home and make copies of everything in those files. Sift through them. Find _everything_ that could possibly link Batwoman and Kate Kane together, no matter how coincidental, circumstantial or trivial. Once we call in Chase for questioning, presumably following a lead in regards to her previous Batwoman investigation, we’ll have _her_ submit the originals into evidence. Once we have those files officially, we can start investigating her _other_ suspects, too.”

“Bring in enough possible Batwomen, and the Kate Kane accusation loses some credibility,” said Gordon.

“That’s what I’m hoping for. Which, of course, includes me.”

Renee raised her brow. “You sure we can trust Chase to play along?”

“If we couldn’t, Batwoman would’ve left a better note.”

“What do you want me to do with the copies?“ said Renee.

“Reference. We’re going to need backups of everything, and we need to be as many steps ahead of this as possible.” She frowned. “The key here is solving the case _before_ the lawyers do; finding the holes in the story and cracking them open large enough so we can manage ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt’. We won’t be able to stall that court date, no matter when they set it; Mayor Hady’s out for blood for some ungodly reason.”

Gordon frowned. “Falcone.”

“I’m sure that’s a factor, but I’m guessing there’s more to it than that.”

“Oh, wait.” Renee rolled her eyes. “It’s an election year.”

“Yeah. That’s probably it.”

 

* * *

 

Kate unlocked her apartment door and slipped inside, holding her burner phone to her ear. “Was there anything else, Batgirl?”

_“No, that’s the end of the recording, Batwoman. They went back inside after that, and Detective Montoya drove off. Probably went home. I don’t like being kept out of the loop, or underestimated, but I can’t say I’m not used to it.”_

She dropped her keys in the bowl. “Okay. Thank you.”

_“Don’t mention it. And, again, sorry for not catching the video as it was streaming. If I still had all my equipment, this never would’ve happened.”_

“You were that good?”

 _“Good? I was_ the best. _Still am, just lacking in the time department. Anyway, I hope, what they said, it’s what you wanted to hear.”_

Kate smirked. “Let’s just say they’ve exceeded expectations.”

“ _Good to know. Anything else?”_

“Just one small matter. I’ve been wondering something…” Kate shimmied out of her coat and hung it in her front closet. “What did you do with that silk handkerchief?”

“ _You mean the one you gave me to clean the blood from my nose after you beat the crap out of me? Had it cleaned. Now it’s in my utility belt. Well, it_ was _until I did the same thing to Huntress.”_ She paused. _“Holy crap, did you give me a cursed handkerchief?!”_

“Of course not! And also, _I knew you’d kept it_.” Kate frowned. “Sorry about that, by the way. Operating under federal duress wasn’t the healthiest of work environments.”

_“Hey, it happens. And don’t even worry about it, we’re more than square. Rio, Cherry Hill, that...thing with the Cluemaster…”_

Kate leaned against her kitchen counter. “I’m still not entirely clear on what happened there. Just that everything was suddenly on fire, I got the call, and Bluebird kept staring at my butt.”

_“Yeah, that’s kinda why Penny-2 paired you both together. Thought you could lead by positive example.”_

Kate blushed and made her way into the den, noting the crackling fireplace. Beth must’ve started it, which probably wasn’t...safe. Or maybe it was. Still hard to tell with her sister. “Really? That’s...wow.”

“ _Mhmm. Okay, I gotta go. Need to make sure---have you seen Ghost in the Shell? Because this would be easier to explain if you have.”_

Kate smiled and tousled her hair. “Hmm, you mean the movies and tv series centered around a transgender lesbian cyborg soldier that leads a team of operatives in the shadows, protecting Neo-Japan from international conspiracies and toxic ideologies?”

_“That’s the one! Puppetmaster happened. The Solid State Society version, except it was inside a dating app---”_

Kate covered her mouth and snickered. “Oh my God, _Ghost in the Cowl_?”

_“That’s...yeah, basically. Just with more attempted orbital bombardment and Minority Report.”_

Kate poked her head inside the living room and found Beth sleeping soundly on the couch.  She sighed. “You should go make sure that’s dealt with. Besides, I’ve still got a few things to take care of.”

“ _Wait, one more thing. I don’t know if I’ll ever get another chance to say this, but that day we met? You threw everything you had at the Disgraced, and it wasn’t even your fight. You were just_ there. _I want you to know that seeing you do that, it inspired me to be better. I was already doubting myself, if I was actually doing any good, being Batgirl again after so many years, when I'd been helping so many in other ways, or if I was just playing the hero---it helped. A lot.”_

Kate swallowed and took a shaky breath. “You’re going to make me cry if you keep that up. I’m not dying. Stop acting like I am.”

“ _I know you’re not, Kate. But Batwoman might.”_

The call ended.

Kate frowned down at her phone. “...so who _else_ knows who I am, I wonder?”  She snapped the burner in half and cracked the rest of it with her boot.  “Beth, get up.” She tossed the pieces of phone into the toilet and flushed it.  “We’ve got a problem.”

Beth rolled off of the couch and hopped to her feet. “I was awake, don’t you see? The only one here besides you is me.”

Kate wrinkled her nose. “That’s not Lewis Carroll. Please tell me you’re not _Etrigan_ in disguise.”

“It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards.” She smiled. “And you seem to be under the assumption that I can _only_ speak in that manner, but you know that’s not true. It is difficult to stop once I begin.” She tilted her head. “Contrarwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so---but now I’m repeating myself.”

“Okay, Beth, I need you do something for me. I need you to not say a _single_ limerick of Lewis Carrol in public for two weeks.” Kate held two fingers. “Just _two weeks_. Or maybe more. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you do this for me.” She held her sister by her shoulders. “That video you sent to the GCPD with Nocturna? There’s more than enough evidence to implicate me as Batwoman, and it _will_ go to court, and in all likelihood I’ll get convicted. But I _can_ beat this. You just have to trust me.”

“Oh no. That didn’t even occur to me.” Beth’s eyes widened. “This is very bad.”

“Yeah. Very bad.” Kate hugged her. “But it’s okay. I forgive you. You _saved_ me, Beth. From a living nightmare I could never escape on my own. You were just doing what you knew was right, and I couldn’t be more proud, grateful or, well, on the verge of a total emotional breakdown, but that last one’s gonna have to wait until _after_ we beat this thing. And we can, if we work together.”

Beth stared at her for a moment. “Stemus Simul.”

Kate pulled her head back. “Yes.” The Kane family motto. Engraved on the fancy crest, hung above the fireplace at the estate. How had she even remembered that? “Yes. We stand together.”

Beth nodded. “Oh, ‘tis love, ‘tis love---I…” She bit her lip, her brow furrowing in intense concentration. It was going to be difficult to show how thankful she was for what Beth was doing. Lying was one thing, but completely rewiring your own speech pattern that was brought on by probable psychological conditioning, abuse, and extreme PTSD? Selfless insanity must run in the family. And considering how Bruce had Kane blood in him, it might just be _hers_ that was the bigger key. Maybe. “I love you. What can I do?”

“I love you, too.” Kate frowned. “Well, you’re not going to like it. It’s going to suck, but I’ll get ‘arrested’ in the morning at City Hall. We’ll be there to have you declared legally _alive._ ” She winced. “And you’re probably going to have to watch me get my butt kicked by cops, who you _will not attack to defend me._ ”

“You’re starting to scare me, Kate.”

Kate shrugged. “It’s scaring me a little, too. But we’re not alone, and we never will be.” She smiled. “So, I’ll make some coffee, and we’ll practice every single thing you’re going to say in the next week, all the questions you’ll get asked, all the things you’ll need to tell Pop and the rest of the family, everything you’ll need to do, until it’s time to go in the morning. Does that sound good?”

“As much as something can right now, yes.” Beth looked down at her Red Alice outfit. “Can you help me pick out something to wear?”

Kate’s heart caught in her throat, remembering how Beth had always been the one to do that for her, all those years ago. “Y-yes. I would love nothing more than to help with that. ”

 

* * *

 

Maggie frowned at the empty pot of coffee. Her first instinct was to demand who in the MCU was big enough of an ass to _not brew more_ after drinking the last of it. But then she looked at her watch, rubbing the exhaustion from her eyes. 5:50 in the morning. She’d been up over thirty hours, but she wouldn’t catch a wink until she _knew_ Kate was on the right track.

They’d already transferred Nocturna to solitary at Blackgate for secure holding until her court date, which the D.A. had pushed back, obviously, so everyone could gather around for the big Batwoman case. The case people would be able to start sniffing out in less than ten minutes. But with Nocturna locked away, that was one less variable to account for.

Maggie yawned and started brewing another pot. She trusted Kate, but she was still scared beyond belief. There were so many things that could go wrong. So many things they could miss. Nobody was at their best; sleep deprivation tended to do that, but maybe, just _maybe,_ God would love them enough let everything go off without a hitch.

When it came to Kate, that almost seemed reasonable.

“I don’t suppose it’s too much to ask to have her drop out of the sky to me again, would it?” mumbled Maggie, staring up at the TV...and then immediately changed the channel to a news program that _didn’t_ include Vicki Vale. Terrible reporter, and apparently still seeing that piece of human garbage Jason Brand.

A piece of human garbage who also boosted the annual GCPD budget by 150%, somehow. Probably blood money, but that just gave them more incentive to use it.

The coffee pot beeped, and she poured herself a cup, mixing in a decent amount of milk and sugar. Black was stupid and bitter as hell. She sat down at the table, next to a snoring Harvey, and shoved him.  

Harvey sputtered awake and frowned at her. “Somethin’ I can do for you, Commissioner?” He wrinkled his nose. “Never gonna get used to that.”

“Let’s hope you don’t have to. Call Kate Kane in for questioning.”

Harvey perked up at that. “This ain’t gonna end well.” He stood and gave a heavy sigh.

Maggie sipped at her coffee and flashed him a frown. “Don’t you think I know that? Do it, Harvey, because I doubt there’s enough coffee in this _hemisphere_ for me to deal with you sleeping through OT.” She grabbed her cell and cycled through her contacts. “By time I’m done with this call, I want badges scouring the city for her.”

“You got it, boss.”

Her phone alarm beeped. 6:00.

Showtime.

 

* * *

 

“...hold on Commissioner Sawyer, I’ll wake her up…”

Renee groaned and opened her eyes, finding herself face first in a pile of papers. Still sitting at the kitchen table.  Damnit, when the hell had she dozed off? She sat up and rubbed her eyes, only for her phone to sweep into view.  “Morning to you too, babe,” she said, taking the phone from Daria.

Daria bent down at kissed her on the cheek.  “I left your breakfast in the warming oven. You’ve got ten minutes to eat it before the omelette sours, the toast dissolves, and then everything becomes oatmeal.”

Renee gave her a tired smile. “I don’t mind oatmeal, Dee.” She cleared her throat and held her cell to her ear.  “Commissioner?”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” said Daria.

_“Got everything?”_

Renee retrieved her breakfast from the warming oven, which had always seemed so frivolous until Daria had showed her otherwise, and bit into the toast. “Yes, ma’am. I think I even slept a full wink.”

“ _A wink? That’s actually a unit of time?”_

“Pretty sure. If it wasn’t before, it is now. Think it means an hour.”

“ _But that doesn’t make any sense. It’s ‘slept forty winks’, so it can’t be an hour. Who could sleep forty hours!? I’ve been up for nearly thirty-two hours and there’s no way I could do that.”_

“Okay, then maybe it’s…” She started on the omelette and thanked the lord, just as she did every morning regardless if he even still listened to her or not, she was in love with a world class chef. And that said world class chef somehow, miraculously, loved her back. “Fifteen minutes?”

 _“Ten hours. Okay, that works. Wait, wait, no that---it’s a wink. Like blinking. It’s_ fast. _It’s a cat nap.”_

Renee ears perked up as she heard the shower turn on. She could _feel_ her hair getting greasier, but she’d have to wait. As urgent as things were, Dee would still find a thousand ways to distract her. “I think we’re getting off topic.”

“ _No, we’re burning time until we’re able to do something. Are you eating? God, don’t tell me what it is. I keep forgetting your girlfriend’s some sort of master chef.”_

Renee turned on the TV and switched it over to the morning news. When the hell did Vicki Vale get back on the air? Cycling back to that ‘Bruce Wayne Amnesia’ rumor that’d been popping in and out of the news for months.

Amnesia, sure.

Probably just wanted to get out of remembering some poor girl’s name. Or, in this case,  _all of them_.

“So was yours, just with deli food.”

“ _Kate can’t cook.”_

“Yeah, she can. You ever spent the high holidays with her? Or _holy days,_ as her step-mother calls them. Which is a big deal, for some reason.”

“ _I...no. No, I never did, and I feel horrible about that. We started dating right after those, and she wasn’t talking to her family at the time, so I think she just skipped a whole year of judaism.”_

Renee widened her eyes. “That’s...not Kate. I don’t think I can imagine her without that in her life.” She tried. She couldn’t. Just blank space and lifeless eyes. “Nope. Can’t.”

_“I swear to God, it never came up. We weren’t talking about our pasts at first, and we know how well that turns out.”_

“You’re saying you’ve never had her kugel? Her mother’s latkes? Her kreplach? Her matzo ball soup? Hommentashins? Jesus, please tell me she _at least_ made some matzo brie!”

_“I only know what half of those are.”_

“Only thing worse than jewish guilt is _catholic_ guilt, Commissioner.”

 _“I’d say that’s debatable, but that would be redundant---what? Hold on, Montoya. I need to step outside.”_ There was some rustling, the loud clamor of boots sprinting across the floor, and endless voices. " _I'_ _m outside; ambient noise should mask this. Renee, Kate just made her first move. She’s at City Hall_ right now _with Beth.”_

Renee widened her eyes.  “What? What the hell is she thinking?!”

“ _I don’t know, but we need to have faith that she knows what she’s doing here.”_

Renee put her silverware down and looked out the window. Clear morning, but there was something else. Something wrong. “She chose that location for a reason. It’s public, prominent, and the exact opposite of evasion. But that’s not enough. What are we missing here---” She stiffened. “Oh my God. Who’s working that beat right now?”

“ _Womack and Andreyko...son of a_ bitch! _”_

“They’re going to drag her into an alley and beat her senseless, Maggie.”

“ _Not if she fights back, but she can’t so---damnit. She wants this. She wants police brutality on the table. Makes her case sympathetic.”_

Renee pulled on her coat. "Gotta go, Dee! Have a better day than me!" she yelled over the din of the shower as she sprinted out the door.

“ _Montoya, get down there right now before she gets herself killed!”_

“Already on my way.”

 

* * *

 

Kate’s first thought as she got out of her car was how wonderful Beth looked, despite the sharp cold in the air disturbing her somehow-still-wet-hair. She’d wanted to wear a fur coat, mimicking Kate, but that was just begging for trouble, even though Beth’s hair was styled differently. Still, it was her favorite leather jacket, and really the perfect outfit to get a new I.D. in.

Or, well, a first one.

Kate’s second thought, as she lead her sister up the steps to City Hall, was that no matter how many times she’d made Beth promise not to defend her, she could never be sure. Every move had a risk, and though she could absolutely endure the pain she was bringing on herself, it was an entirely different matter to force Beth to watch it. But then, Beth knew how much punishment Kate could handle. God only knows she’d dished out her fair share of it.

Her third thought almost made her laugh. It was so quiet, despite the screeching horns and morning shift march of politicians, lawyers, crooks and vendors. Perhaps it was just her mind clearing things out so she could focus on the mission, but then Beth looked at her with a smile that so was _genuine_ that it scared her.

Or, maybe it was just a silent ‘I love you’, since that very next moment, she spotted the two cops she’d banked on appear in her periphery.

“Katherine Rebecca Kane! Hands where we can see them!” demanded Officer Womack, barging through the crowd with his weapon drawn. Out for blood, just like always.

Kate threw her hands up in the air. “What? What’s going on?!”

Officer Andreyko violently yanked her arms behind her back and handcuffed her, tightening them so much they cut off circulation. “C’mon, Batwoman, the MCU wants to talk to you. You have the right to remain silent---”

“I know my rights, and I refuse to exercise that particular one! And this is _not_ procedure!” Kate wriggled in her cuffs, but not enough to break free of his hold on her. He kept reading her her rights, even though it wasn’t an arrest.  “Will you just listen to me for one second?! Just---what the hell are you talking about?! Get your hands off of me, right now!”

People were staring. _Everyone_ was staring. Good. She _wanted_ them to see this. Kate Kane is arrested on the steps of City Hall at approximately 6:15am local time. She is unharmed, and not resisting arrest. The next time she is seen, she’ll be covered in her own blood with three cracked ribs, heavy bruising, and a probable concussion.  

“Kate?” asked Beth, just as perfect as she was in rehearsal. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know! Get---get your hands off of me, damnit!” she snapped as she was practically being dragged off to their squad car. “Beth, go back to the penthouse! I’ll have this sorted out soon, okay?”

Beth jogged alongside her.  “I don’t understand---”

Womack shoved Beth back and on to the ground. “Back away, Miss Kane. We’re just here for your sister, but that can change on a dime.”

“Beth! Please, just listen to---” Kate grunted in pain as Andreyko threw her into the backseat of the squad car, smashing her head against the inside door. Active expectation that such a simple and minor act would keep her down; teach her who was in charge of the situation. And, for the moment, that would hold true. “I’ll be fine!” The door slammed shut, almost cutting off her foot, and they sped off in a direction that was definitely _not_ Gotham Central.

They were taking her to 18th and Keely. Their typical ‘hangout’.

Womack picked up the radio. “This is Unit 415, to Central."

_"This is Central, go ahead Unit 415."_

"Suspect Kate Kane is in custody. ETA...” He looked back at her with a scowl. “...er, disregard that, we're going to be a bit delayed. Possible civic disturbance. Moving to investigate.”

“ _Understood, Unit 415._ _Keep it short and sweet.”_

Kate ‘tried’ to sit up. “Would somebody please explain to me just what the hell is going on?!” she screeched. Hysteria would only fool idiots, but then, these were crooked cops in Gotham. _Of course_ they were idiots.

The car came to a halt and she rolled on to the floor, jamming her shoulder into the plastic divider. One of them dragged her out of the squad car and threw her against the wall of a run down apartment complex. Brick, right into her side.  

“You picked the _wrong_ beat to walk on, Batwoman,” growled Womack. “See, Andreyko and I, we used to like our job. We looked the other way to a few things here and there, and got to live comfortably. But it’s _freaks_ like you that ruined everything!”

Kate imagined they had both said they were Batman. Hah! “You---you think I’m the _Batwoman?_ Are you crazy?! Clearly, you have me confused for someone else---” The baton to her jaw ended that sentence with a loud crack. Too easy. Kate stumbled and turned away from them. “Please---stop this!”

“Shoulda thought of that before you put on the spandex---” Andreyko kneed her in the stomach. Bastard hit harder than his partner with the baton, but was clearly untrained. Just angry and dumb.“---and started destroying our lives!” Smash forehead against wall, get her head spinning. Disoriented, so she’ll be too scared to testify against you. That about right, dirtbags? “You think that all your money and little toys makes you better than us?! That we can’t touch you because you put on a mask?! Well, our benefactor disagrees very strongly with that sentiment.” He threw her to the ground and started kicking her, along with his partner. “Take this as a warning from Carmine Falcone! You take one fucking step into Blackgate, and your family _burns_!”

Kate rolled over on to her stomach and furrowed her brow, taking the abuse. If she beat the conviction, it was just hot air. Falcone was an old school mobster; he didn’t massacre families unless they’d actually screwed him over. So, either her guardian angel showed up in the next four seconds, or she’d have to prove she wasn’t just going to lie down and bow out.  Body shots that looked like luck, combined with documented self-defense training, but nothing _too_ advanced.  

“WOMACK! ANDREYKO! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!?”

The kicking stopped and Kate felt blood drip down from her forehead and nose. Perfect. Head lacerations bled a lot more than they were damaging.

“Detaining the Batwoman, Detective Montoya,” said Andreyko. “You know the Bats. Always resisting arrest.”

“She’s a suspect, you idiots! She hasn’t been charged with anything!”

Kate turned to glare at the two beat cops.  “Which, again, _doesn’t make any damn sense---_ AAAUAGAH!” Her skin was on fire. She ground her teeth and seized up, her entire body convulsing as the taser injected _an ungodly amount of electricity_ into her body. But she could endure it. Seven days of non-stop electroshock torture in a chamber beneath Paris.

Remember it. Remember the training. Remember the feeling. Remember the waterboarding and sleep deprivation that compounded and nearly drove you mad.

Remember how a standard X-26 CEW was  _nothing_.

Just, for the love of God, don’t think about how pissing yourself will ruin the ten-thousand dollar coat. It’s just to sell the case. That’s what this is. About the case. Keep your eyes closed until you’re in the clear. Play dead.

Play. Dead.

“And now she’s a _detained_ suspect.”

“Uncuff her. Right now,” growled Renee. “This is _not_ procedure.”

“You really think that matters?” said Womack, acid practically spewing from his lips. “She _is_ the Batwoman---hey, where---how the hell did you unlock them so fast?!”

“Trade secret.” Renee uncuffed her. “Now, get your asses out of here before I show you a few more.” Kate stopped herself from laughing as Renee carried her, bridal style, over to her car. She let her down gently into the backseat and pulled on her seatbelt, tightening it.  “You damn fool…” she whispered.

The front door slammed, the engine roared, the siren blared, and the car sped off.  And only then did Kate open her eyes.

“Hello, Renee,” she said, smirking as she rubbed her sore wrists. She checked herself for injuries, finding two cracked ribs and a lot of really nasty bruising. Good. “You’re looking well.”

Renee shook her head in the rear view mirror. “Kate, just what the hell were you thinking? You _knew_ they’d do that.”

“Batwoman would’ve fought back. Hate crime angle. Homophobia and anti-semitism. Plus, police brutality and improper procedure. I need a sympathetic jury to make this work.”

Renee rolled her eyes. “Yeah, two cops beating up a rich white woman. That’d do it.”

Kate opened her mouth, but closed it as shame clogged her throat. “Point taken…” She looked out the window, watching the morning traffic in a blur. “I want to apologize, but I’m not really sure how.”

“You can’t; that’s just how it is right now.” Renee sighed. “You could have died, Kate.”

“Think so?” Kate smirked and raised a brow. “I appreciate the concern, but it’d take a lot more than two creeps with clubs to keep me down. Even discounting that, which you shouldn’t, they wouldn’t kill me. Not even Falcone could cover up a mistake that big, no matter how deep he’s rooted in the GCPD.”

“And I thought you were arrogant before all this.”

“Arrogant? No, Renee, this isn’t arrogance.” Kate sat up and winced as her _everywhere_ ached. “It’s confidence, competence, and faith.”

“Faith that your confidence will somehow lead to competence?”

Kate snorted. “Close. Confident that my competence will support my faith.” She smiled. “Are we going to talk about that little bridal carry you did? Because I am _flattered_ but---”

“Jesus christ, Kate,” grumbled Renee. “Why are you doing this? Explain it to me.”

“I can’t. The more I tell you, the more things could go wrong.”

“No, I mean why Batwoman? Why are _you_ the Batwoman?”

Kate blinked the blood from her eyes. Strange. Surely she meant _still_ Batwoman. “I’m surprised you never asked this before. Good question.”

“What? I never had a reason to!”

“Fine. You do deserve an answer for all you’ve done. For what you’re doing.”

“It’s not for _you._ It’s for the Bat.”

“I know, and I respect you all the more for that.” Kate rested her chin on her hands and bit back the pain in her ribs. “I was a soldier without a war, until I wasn’t.” She leaned back in her seat and took a deep breath. “Damn, that hurts.”

Renee looked at her through the mirror. “Finally found a way to serve, huh? That’s what I thought.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Just wanted to be sure.” Renee wrinkled her nose. “Deja vu.”

Kate raised a brow. “How?”

“I could’ve sworn---is that...do I smell urine?”

“Yes. That’s what happens when you get tazed. You empty your bladder and ruin your coat.”

“This is my car!" Renee whined. "You’re ruining my upholstery!”

“The blood already did that, in case you’d forgotten.”

“I _know_ how to wash blood out of a leather interior, Kate. It’s piss that I haven’t dealt with in a while!”

“Well then I’ll _pay for it,_ okay?!” she said, throwing up her hands. “I’m sorry those beat cops tased me! I figured they’d stick with blunt weaponry, since that’s more ‘satisfying’.” She frowned and looked out the window again. Almost there. “Renee. I’d just like to apologize in advance for the horrible things I’m about to scream at you.”

Renee gave her a baffled look over her shoulder.  “What the hell are you---oh, no. No, c’mon, don’t do that. You don’t _need_ to do that.”

“It only supports that I’m completely in the dark. And believe me, I _will_ be vomiting later.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

The car turned into the parking garage and Kate sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe. Look, I’ll build up until the perp walk through the bullpen, then unload at full force. That way, Maggie and everyone else gets caught up into it.”

They came to a stop and Renee twisted around to glare at her. “This is sick, Kate.”

Kate frowned, her eyes sagging into her head. “I know, and I’m _truly_ sorry, but I’m covered in blood, bruises, my own urine, with a few cracked ribs and one nasty shiner. Any _normal_ person would react---”

“No! No, they would not! Normal people don’t spew hate because of this!”

“Maybe not in Blüdhaven, but they sure as hell do in Gotham!” Kate groaned. “This is no time for debate, Renee! Open the freaking door and take it! We’re ex-lovers, this is how it has to go.” She frowned. “You know I’m right.”

Renee stared at her for a moment. “No. This is too far. You don’t need to screech every slur and hateful word you can think of at me and everyone else because you got abused by bad police.” She pointed at her. “You are going to walk in there, head held high, haughty as hell, and act like _Kate Kane._ You’re a ‘socialite’, sure, but anyone who’s ever met you knows you’re the furthest thing from weak. No matter what you are now, you were a soldier first.” She scowled and got out of the car, slamming the door behind her.

Kate raised her brows. Well. She couldn’t argue with that logic. Renee helped her out of the car and marched her through the parking garage, the remains of second shift turning to look at the bloodied woman in mink.

Shame she didn’t have a mirror.

She was lead through the building, up the staircase where off-duty detectives and scurrying support staff took second, third and fourth looks as she passed them. It was curious, though. Being lead through Gotham Central, when she’d had the building layout memorized down to the potted plants Suzy (the not-actually-a-temp-only-one-legally-allowed-to-turn-on-the-batsignal woman) cycled through on her desk by season. The tiles felt foreign beneath her boots, and the proudly embossed doorway to the ‘Major Crimes Unit’ struck her with a not-so-brief flash of terror.

Had she thought of everything? What if she’d _missed_ something? What if she was walking herself straight into Blackgate? Or, God forbid, Arkham?

What if today was the day that the Bat  _died_. And what if it was _all_ her fault.

Renee opened the door in front of her and nudged her through, and suddenly, it was all too real. Blinding. Like a floodlight popping on in front of her face. Detectives she knew, ones Maggie had spoken highly of, others less so, stared at her in the doorway.

All workflow had _stopped._

Gotham’s MCU, the most notoriously overworked slice of the US Justice Department in the country, had frozen in place to look at the Batwoman in silence. Not just a glance or two, no. No multitasking or each part of the room transitioning in sequence---all at once.

They’d---it had never happened before. No arrests, no charges. Batman, Batgirl, Red Robin, Nightwing, Robin; they were all untouchable. They had been since the very beginning. Living myths, even in death, never in one place long enough to solidify as anything more, outside of a select few chosen moments. But Kate? The Batwoman?

Her mere presence, guilt proven or otherwise, had just discredited them all the moment she’d shown her face. They could make mistakes mundane enough to follow. They could fall at home. They could _get caught_ in the very system they were trying to protect---no.

Not today. Not ever. _No chance in hell._

“Go ahead, take your looks! _Your_ people did this to me.” Kate frowned and marched herself towards interrogation, forcing Renee to catch up to her. “This is a farce, and all of you know it! You pull a gun on me on government property, drive me out to an alley, beat me, hit me with a taser, on the grounds that I’m some---” She passed by Maggie, her eyes wide with exhaustion and coffee still piping hot. “---crazed, lunatic vigilante?! All I wanted to do today was to help my sister get her life back BUT I GUESS THAT’S JUST TOO MUCH FOR YOU PEOPLE, ISN’T?! GOD FORBID I FIND SOMETHING THAT MATTERS!” she yelled, just before getting shoved into questioning.

Oh, joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the time of this writing, it's unclear if Renee still quit drinking in canon. Tec Comics #936 (released today, go read it! O_O) reunited her with Kate at a lesbian bar, probs Molly's let's be real, (though contextually it's easy to see that they've reconnected a few times after she returned to Gotham by then) and got her a drink. It could be ginger ale, and the art is pretty clear that she didn't even take a sip, regardless of alchohol content. We'll see how that pans out. Though I think it's safe to assume she still quit smoking. Even so, we move further into Charlie's 'phantom' influence on Renee, and how it's growing stronger the longer she stays in Gotham. 
> 
> That rooftop scene is all kinds of weird, and it was so fun to write. Everything is completely out of whack, and Babs showing up is just the icing on the cake. I mean, Jim is Batman?! Maggie is Commisioner?! Renee is...Harvey, I guess? Anyway, while the idea of "We lose Kate, we lose the city" may be a LITTLE bit of a stretch, consider that in the time that Jim was Batman, there was like...one true supervillain attack. Mr. Bloom. And while Jim does make a good point regarding the events of "Savage Dawn", he's still deputized by the GCPD as Maggie expresses in Batman #42 (who Capullo, despite drawing everyone else amazing, makes her look like the Joker???), it stands to reason that he hasn't been truly tested yet.
> 
> The conversation between Babs and Kate was something I'd wanted explored for a while, since it's just ripe with running gags (from Simone and others) and is very genuine. Babs is a very conscious, perceptive and caring individual who considers the consequences of her actions (from the point of view of a regular Gothamite) more often than anyone else in the family, and so I felt that she's just an easier person to trust, for good reason. The handkerchief is something that DID happen in Simone's run on Batgirl (#12/13, iirc), and then Babs gave it to Helena WAYNE, when she showed up for that run's finale, so now it's on Earth 2. XD "Ghost in the Cowl" is the name of the arc in the Burnside run of Batgirl where her brain-pattern corrupts a dating-app and tries to do some crazy shit and take over Barbara's body, so that's a bit of meta-fun. And yes, Motoko Kusanagi is canonically transgender in every iteration (sans the upcoming film, most likely). DMAB, and not really that subtextual or obscure. Also her hairstyle is similar to Kate's "classic" hairdo, so that's fun.
> 
> That reference to Harper Row, aka Bluebird, is me expanding upon that one panel in the finale of Batman Eternal where she's just FANGIRLING over Kate, but I kept the wording ambiguous-ish, since even though she's coded as queer, (99% sure she's supposed to be bi) you know this works. Somebody might just decide she's straight, despite...y'know. Character design (it's a comic the design is supposed to tell you a shit ton about them in one glance), history, having the guts to carve the word "fag" into the back of her hair to show support for her brother without fear of someone accusing her of being a lesbian, etc. Also Bombshells. So the idea here is that Kate is being a bit of a role model for a younger queer woman superhero, hopefully, or if that turns out to be false, just as a woman. 
> 
> Additionally, regarding Babs, a decent slice of this story will be addressing how much more effective she was at helping others when she was Oracle...but all of this commentary comes from Babs herself, not from a third-party. This is objectively true (seriously go back and think about what she pulled off in the original Birds of Prey) and something that I feel the Batfamily is still sorely lacking. Tim is great at tech stuff, too, yes, but you lose a lot when you take Babs out of the chair...especially when her life actually got better in the long run. She and Dick weren't a thing until after the Joker shot her, and she'd NEVER have made the relationships she'd made with Helena and Dinah, among many others if not for forming the Birds of Prey. 
> 
> Beth is really fucking hard to write for. You think "developmental disorder" but that's REALLY not what it is at all.
> 
> Yes, that cop is named for Andreyko, ie the dude who took over for Williams and Blackman in the Batwoman book. It's the furthest thing from subtle, but I'm not intending to call him a shitty person or anything like that. He IS talented (seriously Manhunter and The Road Home were freaking great) but just not really the right fit for Batwoman. Cutting out the DADT core of her history makes Kate not work as a character, though I'm sure we all know that now. It's all in good fun.
> 
> What did you guys think of the second chapter? Everything still ramping up and holding your interest? Everyone still in character? Thoughts on all this continuity? Not sure I could make more Gotham Central references if I tried. Most importantly, was it fun to read? Let me know in the comments!


	3. Lightning Round

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Kate is forced through the criminal justice system in record time, one thing becomes uncomfortably clear: the game is more rigged than they thought. Even by Gotham City standards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://imgur.com/874ZyTt)   
> 

Maggie tried to rub the exhaustion out of her eyes, entirely in vain. She wasn’t sure if she’d been dozing off for seconds at a time, but if she was, it would certainly explain how she hadn’t passed out entirely yet.

She watched Kate, sitting quietly in questioning from behind the mirror. According to the medic on hand, she had a few fractured ribs and more bruising than skin. Though that part was obvious. It physically hurt to see her so damaged. Sure, Maggie had seen her roughed up before, but never to that extent. Not even close. They’d taped up her ribs and washed off the blood, but the cuts and dark purple blemishes were still there.

Maggie sighed and turned towards Renee, Harvey and Jim. “Bullock, I’m going to make this simple for you, before you get any ideas. Montoya is the lead on this.” She crossed her arms. “You will do what she tells you. You will do what _I_ tell you. If you so much as _breath_ out of line, you’re going home. Paid vacation.”

Harvey frowned. “You’re really doin’ this. You’re protecting your ex like that.”

Maggie narrowed her eyes. “No, Harvey. I’m not. The Batwoman case has to be handled with the utmost care and discretion. You’ve been doing this longer than the both of us, so I  _know_ you know why, even if you sometimes have that strange vendetta against vigilantes. You need to trust me, trust _us,_ right now.” She stepped towards him. “Can you do that for me, Detective Bullock?”

Harvey gave Jim a sidelong glance. “You’re okay with this?”

Jim nodded. “I am. One-hundred percent. But, Harv, I’m not---”

Harvey waved him off. “Yeah, yeah, I remember. Not in charge. Not your call.” He huffed. “Fine. Yeah. Yeah, I can do that for you, Commissioner.” He shrugged and looked over at Renee. “Guess I owe you that much. Dragged _this one_ back here, after all.”

Renee rolled her eyes. “I was hardly dragged.”

Maggie nodded. “Good. Now that we’re all on the same page, detectives, you’re going to run at her. Hard. We don’t have nearly enough to charge her, and we probably never will, but I guarantee that in the next hour or so, maybe less…” Maggie yawned. “Mayor Hady’s going to call me and demand that we do that. Book her, process, send her to the Schreck, the works. So when that happens, see if you can’t nab Snyder for the arraignment.” She clapped her hands. “Okay? Break.”

Renee and Harvey left the observation room and closed the door behind them.

“You don’t have to watch this,” said Jim. “I know _I_ did when I had the job, but you technically don’t have to.”

“I do, Jim.” Maggie sighed. “Just for a little while. After that, I’m going to go pass out in my office. If I don’t call in three hours, wake me. Or if the city is quite literally on fire. You can wake me for that, too.”

“Firefly’s still in Blackgate,” said Jim.

“Well then I might actually get some rest, won’t I?” She motioned for him to leave. “Now, get out there and impress the _daylights_ out of everyone all over again. Or play Batman. I don’t know, just _something_.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, patting her on the back. “I’d say resign, but then Forbes might get the job again.”

“Not funny.”

“Wasn’t joking.”

 

* * *

 

Renee sat down across from Kate, while Harvey elected to stand. Somehow, as bad as she looked, she was _positive_ she’d seen her in worse shape. The specifics, however, eluded her. She rested laptop and notebook on the table and sighed.  “We apologize for the delay. Needed to gather a few preliminary reports. How are you feeling, Miss Kane?”

“Like I was beaten and electrocuted by two beat cops on a power trip,” growled Kate.

Renee nodded. “Before we get started, I just want to state, on behalf of the entire GCPD, I want to sincerely apologize for the actions of Officers Womack and Andreyko,” she said, resting her her palms on the table. “You have my word that they---”

“---will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Kate, rolling her one good eye, the other swollen behind an ice pack.  “I’m sure you understand if I have a difficult time believing that. Now, if you could explain to me why in God’s name you believe I’m the Batwoman, so I can go home? I’ve been down this road before with the D.E.O...” Somehow, she turned to stare directly at where Sawyer was standing, right behind the mirror. “...and so has Commissioner Sawyer. You were on the top of their list, if I remember correctly.”

Renee shook her head. “She’s not in there, Miss Kane. Or should I call you Katherine? Katey? Kate? Which do you prefer?”

“Like you don’t remember…” Kate raised a brow and turned back to Renee. “Don’t call me Katey, and never call me Katherine. That’s my step-mother’s name, and yes, it is annoying as well as uncomfortable.” She sighed. “Look, ask your questions, please.”

“You mentioned the Department of Extranormal Operations. They thought you and the Commissioner were the Batwoman?” asked Harvey. “When was this?”

“A year and a half ago, give or take a month or two? They wouldn’t leave us alone for weeks, but suddenly, one day, they just vanished until that giant monster destroyed my building, which I obviously wasn’t in at the time, and horrors I can’t even begin to describe started spewing forth out of that hole in space above the bay. But I think you know this part.”

Harvey nodded. “Yeah, declared martial law. Whole city went nuts until Batwoman and Wonder Woman put a stop to it.” He pointed down. “Fell out of the sky in the middle of a warzone.”

“Where were you that night, Miss Kane?” asked Renee, flipping over another page in her notebook. “Is there anyone who can account for your whereabouts during Medusa’s invasion?”

Kate shifted in her seat. “I was spending time with my cousin Bette at my father’s estate. I think...I want to say we watched _Freaky Friday_ , but that could have been another evening…” She cleared her throat. “Well, whatever we were doing, we were together and far, far away from all of that insanity.”

Renee looked at Kate for a moment. Really. _Really._ Duality and body switching? It was not the time to be clever. “Okay, thank you. We’ll be sure to follow up on that,” said Renee, jotting it down in her notebook. “The woman you were with this morning. Womack stated in his report, for lack of a better term, that you called her Beth, and she bears a striking resemblance to you. Almost identical, save for your physical build and hair.”

“What my partner is trying to ask is if that was your dead twin sister or not,” said Harvey.

Kate sighed. “That’s her, yes. That’s Elizabeth Kane. I was trying to have her declared legally alive today, just the first step in helping her reclaim the life that was taken from her. We were going to get her first state I.D., and take photos for a passport.”

Renee nodded. “How long have you known she was alive, Miss Kane?”

“Ten months, thirteen days. When we found her---she was broken.” Kate’s eyes glazed over. “She was gone for so long, nearly twenty years, that I almost didn’t recognize her.”

“Any idea what happened to her?”

Kate shook her head. “Nothing concrete. We...we think she was taken in the confusion in Brussels, after my mother was murdered, and the bodies were switched. I---I don’t know all the details, and I’m not sure Beth even remembers all of it.” Kate started to cry. “I’m not sure I want her to remember, because all I can think of is the worst possible scenario. God, when the Batwoman brought her to us, I didn’t...I thought I was having the cruelest of nightmares.”

“You’re saying the Batwoman rescued your sister, Miss Kane?”

“Yes.” Kate wiped her eyes. “She dropped her off and jumped out the window.”

Renee raised a brow. “She didn’t give you any information as to how or where she found your sister? Or how she knew to return her to your family?”

“I have no idea, Detective.” Kate frowned. “And I don’t see how this has anything to do with me apparently being the Batwoman. Which is impossible because how could I have delivered my own twin sister to myself.”

“So…” Harvey crossed his arms. “If you’ve known she was alive this long, why---”

Kate huffed. “Because the news media is cruel and my sister was unwell, Detective Bullock. She’s still not fully recovered, and I doubt she ever will be. We wanted to keep her out of the public eye until she was strong enough. If you must know, my father was overseeing her rehabilitation on our grandfather’s private island.”

“Okay, I think we’ve beat around the bush long enough.” Harvey snorted. “Are you familiar with Natalia Mitternacht?”

Kate gnashed her teeth. “Yes. What does that have to do with anything?”

“How would you describe the nature of your relationship with---”

“Abhorrently abusive.”

“Are you still seeing---”

“What the hell do you think, Detective?” Kate leaned forward, scowling. “I only managed to get away from her a few days ago. That maniac filled my head with lies and doubts for months on end, treating me like some kind of...toy.” She looked at the table.  “A living sex doll for her to have her way with as she pleased.” She looked up. “And you still haven’t answered my question.”

Renee opened her laptop. “We’re asking because we received an anonymous video, streamed in real time, a few days ago regarding the murder of her step daughter, Alexandra Witherspoon. Natalia Mitternacht confessed to it on camera.”

Kate’s eyes widened. “So she was going to murder me, too?!”

Harvey sat down and leaned back in his chair. “Might wanna just watch the show, Kate.”

Renee played the video, and Kate did a nearly flawless reaction shot. Shock, disbelief, confusion, disgust and anger. Then again, Renee was pretty sure she didn’t have to reach too far for those, as she hadn’t watched the video before. Seeing herself so weak and docile on camera, exposed, couldn’t have been pleasant.

Kate was silent for a few moments after the video finished, as if searching for words. “I...I don’t understand. That’s---this has to be some kind of trick.” She looked to Renee. “Do you seriously believe that’s me in the video?”

“If it’s not you, then who is it?” asked Renee. “You said you’d only managed to get away from Natalia a few days ago. That was around the time we got this streamed to us. Can you give us a narrower timeframe for when you broke things off with Natalia?”

Kate looked away. “I don’t remember. I never remember. She---don’t you get it?!” She snapped. “She was drugging me this entire time! The past six months...I can’t remember half of the days.  There’s just nothing. Blank, dead space.”

“Drugging you?” asked Harvey, standing from his chair and scratching his scruff.  “That’s pretty damning stuff. Why didn’t you lead with that, Miss Kane? Hell, why didn’t you come in to report that when you ‘escaped’?”

Renee glared at him. “Harvey, don’t---”

Kate snarled. “Oh, you know damn well, why! You don’t think I know how you people treat cases like this!? Whenever a woman tries to accuse another woman of raping her, nobody takes it seriously!” She slammed her palm against the table. “You all just wave it away as something impossible, because clearly THE ONLY WAY TO RAPE SOMEBODY IS TO SHOVE A COCK INTO THEM!” she yelled, tears crawling down her cheeks. “And it’s not like whatever she used on me is still in my system, anyway.”

Renee sighed. If Sawyer was right, and Kate was truly in denial about all of that, but knew she could use it to win...it was just that much more painful to watch. Drag herself through the mud, all for the greater good. “Miss Kane, you have our deepest sympathies for what happened to you, but right now, we need you to focus on the matter at hand. Was that, or was that not, you in the video?”

“No. It was not.” Kate crossed her arms. “I am not the Batwoman, and if that’s Natalia then she’s even more deranged than I thought! Hypnosis?! Vampirism!? Those aren’t real things! Call my father, call my cousin! Turn on the damn batsignal for all I care! I’m not the Batwoman! This is completely insane.”

“But you yourself said that you have large gaps in your memory.” Renee furrowed her brow. Huh. Wait, that could fly. “Is it possible that Natalia was hypnotizing you into believing that you were the Batwoman? It wasn’t too long ago that former Commissioner Gordon was framed in a similar manner for that subway explosion. And he was hypnotized.”

“I---no, that’s true. But wasn’t he hypnotized using some sort of mind control ray? And I wouldn’t want to be the Batwoman, and the camera woman said you can’t do something you wouldn’t do awake so...that can’t be true, right?” asked Kate. “I knew I was starting to see things, little things, but those were the drugs. They must have been.”

“Whether or not you _wanted_ to be the Batwoman doesn’t matter.” Renee bit her lip. “I should clarify. We have Natalia in custody for the murder charge, as you know, but during our efforts to detain her she invaded our minds and attempted to influence us. Telepathically.”

Kate gave her an incredulous look. “You’re serious. You really believe that monster can force people to do what she wants just by thinking it?”

“We do. She influenced you, as you said, correct?”

“With drugs! Not with---well, _magic_.”

“Better start believing in that, too, because she’s a real goddamn vampire,” cut in Harvey. “Daywalker, hypnosis, heals herself; the works. We shot her four times in the heart after she got up without a pulse.”

Kate stared at Harvey, unamused. “Really. So, this thing on my neck, that you won’t be able to see...” She pulled down her collar, revealing---oh my God. Fang marks. “...you’re saying that’s real? Well, detectives, sorry to break it to you, but since I’m not a vampire, too, I think you’ve hit a wall.”

“Holy shit,” said Harvey, backing away.

Renee’s eyes widened.  “Miss Kane. We can see those.”

Kate rubbed her fingers along her teeth and on her neck. “Oh.” She stared at the table for a moment. “I no longer wish to answer your questions, and ask that you contact my attorney.”

“Oh, come on, lady,” said Harvey. “It’s your voice in the video, you got the same skin, the same facial structure, the same crazy ex-girlfriend, hell, even the same sister---”

“YOU LEAVE MY SISTER OUT OF THIS!”

“Well, think that’s all we---”

Renee grabbed Bullock’s arm and pulled him back. “Miss Kane is not legally required to answer our questions.” She looked over at Kate. “Your attorney---”

“Rachel Green.”

“Bruce Wayne’s lawyer?” asked Harvey, baffled.

“She’s very good.”

Renee stood to leave, only for her phone to vibrate. Sawyer. She answered. “Ma’am?”

“ _Hady called,”_ grumbled Sawyer, clearly still half-asleep. “ _Charge her.”_ The call ended.

Renee pocketed her phone. She gave Kate a small frown and cocked her head, motioning for her to rise out of her seat. Kate did, slowly. Either the bruising was getting to her, or she was really working to sell it.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” said Kate.

Renee didn’t respond and cuffed her much more carefully that Womack had earlier. No more red marks. And from the front, not the back. “Katherine Rebecca Kane, you are under arrest for multiple counts of vigilantism...”

 

* * *

 

Renee knew this routine like she knew how to breathe. She’d even lived it once. But there was just something _wrong_ about watching Kate go through the motions. Walking through the Shreck. Well, from afar. No way she could swing escorting her through booking, even with the damaged state she was in, without causing too much noise. She could shadow her, though. Just to make sure things went smoothly.

Fingerprints, an intake photo that was _somehow_ still flattering (because of course it was), handwriting samples, inventory of personal effects; aside from a few strange looks by the officers who ran processing, it all went off smoothly.

And Kate, either realizing the reality of the situation or putting on one helluva show, said very little. She held her head high, of course, but room after room, station after station, she kept conversation minimal. But, there was one more thing that Kate didn’t do.

She didn’t look back. Sure, she checked her surroundings, a little too effectively than the average person, but she never turned all the way around. At first, Renee had thought she’d just been deep in thought, but after several screaming perps had started ranting behind her place in line, and Kate not even _flinching,_ there was only one explanation.

Kate knew that Renee was there, watching her back. And she trusted her.

Renee leaned against the wall across from the holding cells as they led Kate inside and shut the door behind her. Maggie hadn’t even told her to do this, and yet Kate _still_ had that much confidence in her? That she’d do the arguably right thing. Of course, she’d been able to talk Kate down from vomiting slurs and hate in some twisted attempt to support her case, so that could’ve been part of it.

Her phone vibrated. Text from Harvey. ‘ _Got Snyder for the arrangement. D.A. moved it up. ETA 20.’_

Renee scowled and responded. ‘ _Lawyer’s with Wayne; can’t reach her. Buy time?’_

‘ _Don’t have that kinda cash lying around.’_

“Damnit,” grumbled Renee. She looked up and saw Kate stumble out of her holding cell and practically dragged back towards the exit, by---Womack and Andreyko. Kate didn’t plan that, which was made apparent when she actually _looked_ back at Renee, eyes wide in anger. No putting it off. No way to stall. Just have to suck it up and move forward.

Renee waited another fifteen seconds before turning to sprint out the side entrance, weaving through the Schreck which had thankfully not been remodelled while she’d been away. She shouldered open the door into the garage staircase, making a break for her car and hoping, somehow, she could miraculously beat those two bastards to their own.

She backed up and sped down the ramp as fast as she could manage, and mercifully managed to wedge herself between the two beat cops and their squad car, nearly clipping Andreyko’s foot in the process.

“What the hell, Montoya?!” barked Andreyko, twisting Kate’s arm.

Renee got out of her car, wrestled Kate free of their collective grasp, shoved her into the backseat, buckled her seat belt and slammed the door. “‘What the hell?’ Did you _really_ think it’d fly for you two to ‘escort’ her again? Twice in the same day? Same suspect, same two lousy beat cops, and let me guess…” She got up in their faces, scowling. “Same bruises, blood and piss? The IAB may be good at turning a blind eye to your crap, but that doesn’t mean you’re untouchable.”

“Oh, you had better sleep with one eye open, you little dy---”

Womack pulled him back. “Save it. This isn’t worth it anymore.” He motioned for her to go. “Sorry for the inconvenience, Detective.”

Renee rolled her eyes and got back in her car. “No. You’re not. But one day you _will_ be.” She locked the doors and merged back into the exit lane, gripping the leather wheel just a bit tighter than normal.

“Thanks,” said Kate. “For a second there I thought they were going to crack my head open.”

“You’re welcome.” Renee turned into traffic and set off towards the Solomon Wayne Courthouse, pulling down her shade to block the late-morning sun. “Weren’t worried about that before.”

“The first time was an order. This time would’ve been personal.” Kate shrugged. “That, and screaming out that they were the ones who beat me the first time wasn’t going to work since they were _still_ on duty after all of that.”

“Yeah, well, that’s probably why I felt like I should shadow you. Crap like this happens way too often, and you’re still one prime target.”

Kate leaned back.  “So prime that I can’t even talk to my lawyer before the hearing. Didn’t even get my ‘phone call’. Hell, I may as well not have been in the _Schreck_ at all,” she said, smirking. “She’s...gonna meet me there, right?”

Renee winced.  “Uhhhh, it’s well within the realm of possibility.”

Kate bowed her head. “Oh my God…”

“She’s with Bruce Wayne right now. Must be something important, because nobody can get in contact with her. Believe me, we’ve tried.” Renee sighed. “Willis is prosecuting you _personally_ , but I’m sure you expected that. Good news is that we got Snyder to take this one. Arraignment, and the trial. Not really sure how that happened, but hey, it did.”

“ _Snyder?”_ Kate’s eyes widened and she sat up straight. “Oh no, which one? Which Snyder did you get?”

Renee raised a brow. “There’s more than one? I need to start keeping notes on how much things’ve changed.”

“Yes there’s more than one! Oh God, what was his first name?”

Renee bit her lip and turned into the courthouse parking garage. “I don’t actually know. Harvey went off and did that…”

“And he should know which one to get, right? He’s been here _forever_.”

“I’d imagine, yeah.”

Kate frowned. “You _imagine,_ or you know? This isn’t a hiccup, Renee! This is either the best possible thing that could happen, or the _worst_ possible thing.”

Renee parked and licked the inside of her lips. “But you’ve got a contingency, right?”

“Of course, but I’d rather things go above board than nose deep in dirt.”

Renee cut the engine, got out of her seat, and helped Kate out of the back. “Well, there’s nothing that can be done about it now, Kate---” Her phone vibrated; another message from Harvey. ‘ _2 press mobs. 1st at entrance, 2nd in courtroom’_. “Only thing you can control at the moment is how you react to the hordes of reporters about to ambush you.”

Kate nodded. “I’m prepared for that.”

“I know.”

Renee escorted Kate into the courthouse and was immediately bombarded with a barrage of camera flashes and loud, incessant demands. She weaved the both of them through the mob, blocking out the endless repetition of slightly reworded questions. Are the accusations true? Is this a cry for attention? Is that a clone or actually your twin? Will you be pressing charges against the GCPD? Is this just a bitter lover’s quarrel between you and Mitternacht?

Whoever asked ‘clone’ was a new level of idiot.

And yet, once the courtroom doors swung open, it just got _louder_ , even after they shut it behind them. Once again, navigating through the sea of reporters and journalists, Renee wondered how much bigger the turnout would be if someone had actually caught _Batman_.  Double? Triple? Probably not, since the density of people in the room was already exceeding fire safety limits.

Renee handed Kate off to the bailiff, and joined Harvey in the back of the room. She watched Kate continue to be assaulted by the press, only to be utterly ignored. “Caught Womack And Andreyko trying to pull their little stunt again, escorting her out of the Schreck.”

Harvey shook his head. “Jesus. Get ugly?”

“No, but we need to keep an eye on those two. Everyone does. Womack might know where his twisted line is, but Andreyko’s ready to snap.”

“One thing at a time, Montoya.”

Renee nodded. “Yeah.” She scratched the back of her head. “So, apparently, there are _two_ Judge Snyders? I can barely remember the first one.”

Harvey snorted and lifted his hat. “Ah, that’s right. New guy came in around the time you transferred to Blüdhaven. From Metropolis, of all places. Guessing you nearly gave our friend a heart attack?”

“Just tell me which one you got, Harv.”

He smirked.  “And ruin the surprise? Can’t do it.”

Renee gave him a long, unamused look. “You are _such_ an ass.”

“Not _all_ the time.” He nudged her. “Okay, here we go.”

The bailiff cleared his throat. “All rise for the honorable Judge Snyder.”

Everyone did, and the press quieted down to a soft murmur, somehow. Snyder, early forties, glasses, short brown hair, exited his chambers and took his place at the podium.

“Please be seated,” said Snyder, and everyone did. “Miss Kane, am I correct to assume that you will be representing yourself, as you lack legal counsel present?”

“I will not, your honor,” said Kate. “I was unable to contact my attorney in the brief time between my arrest and this hearing.”

“Very well. Are you confident that you can act on her behalf for this hearing?”

Kate nodded. “I am, though I doubt I’ve much of a choice at the moment.”

“You don’t,” said Willis, the District Attorney glaring at Kate from across the aisle.

“Moving on, then.” Snyder adjusted his glasses. “Case number 2734; The People of Gotham City versus Katherine Kane, on charges of multiple counts of…” He skimmed through a stack of papers in front of him. “I apologize. _Multiple dozens_ of counts of vigilantism, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, grand theft, assaulting a federal agent, assaulting an officer of the law, battery, treason, resisting arrest, aiding and abetting wanted criminals, terrorism, vandalism, arson, assault, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, trespassing, breaking and entering, larceny, smuggling illegal substances, embezzlement...”

Renee cocked her head towards the Judge as he continued to list off the charges. “Well? Which one?” she whispered.

Harvey smirked. “Good one. Other guy is corrupt and egotistical as they come.”

“And this guy?

“Gotham native, totally clean. Intuitive, and he knows us. He knows how things are done, and how to do them better.”

Renee exhaled. “Oh, thank _God_.”

“Trust me, you have no idea the bullet we’ve dodged.”

Renee wrinkled her nose. “If he’s so good, then why didn’t he bar press from this?”

“C’mon, Renee. It’s not like she _murdered_ somebody.”

“You’re hearing the same laundry list of felonies I am, right?”

He shrugged. “Freedom of the press.”

“...and conspiracy to commit treason,” finished Snyder, finally. He cleared his throat. “Enter a plea.”

“Not guilty, your honor,” said Kate. “This is ludicrous---”

“Ludicrous?” countered Willis. “Do you think that a near-positive identification of _you in the Batwoman suit_ being live-streamed to the GCPD accompanying a first-degree murder confession is ludicrous?”

The press once again, exploded, only to be silenced by the loud banging of the gavel on the hardwood. They knew that was coming, and yet _every time_ they did it anyway. What was the point?

“Yes! I do!” snapped Kate. “That sentence itself sounds like nonsense!”

“It’s not nonsense. You’ve seen yourself in that video; you know your _own twin_ was the one who recorded it---”

“This isn’t the trial, Miss Willis,” said Snyder. “If there’s to be any argument, it’s to be about this _specific_ arrangement. Now, recommendations?”

“Considering the severity and sheer number of felonies that the defendant has been charged with, as well as her substantial wealth and influence in this city, the defendant must be considered not only a serious flight risk, but an _inevitability_. The district attorney’s office would be foolish not to recommend that she be held without bail.”

“Very well. Miss Kane?”

Kate frowned. “Your honor, in less than five hours, I’ve been _denied_ access to my attorney, beaten, electrocuted, threatened, and pushed through the criminal justice system so quickly I’m _baffled_ that people aren’t throwing out conspiracies theories and claims of corruption. Or maybe they will, but just haven’t woken up yet…”

Renee raised a brow. Kate was smarter than this. What would ranting even accomplish?

Kate scowled and slammed her fists on the table. “The breaches in protocol, the speed in which this case is progressing, and all of this talk of hypnosis and _vampires;_ this is a complete farce.” She shook her bound hands in front of her. “But, I’m still standing here, handcuffed, in my own dried blood, piss and sweat, because that’s just how fast I was dragged away from the Schrek, with no legal counsel, attempting to make sense of all this…”

“Is she---?” Renee smacked her forehead. “Yes. She is.”

“Never seen somebody try and _filibuster_ a bail hearing before,” said Harvey.

“...because I’m not a lawyer,” continued Kate. “I have _no_ criminal record, and unlike the vast majority of wealthy gothamites, I have not contributed a single cent to Batman Incorporated. I’m _not_ a flight risk.” She leaned over the table. “If it makes you feel better, put me on the no-fly list! I’m in the middle of a painful and emotionally exhausting process in which I’m _bringing my sister back from the dead,_ legally, so halting that would be extensively damaging to myself and my family...”

Renee pinched her brow. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she had _no idea_ what was happening right now.”

Harvey shrugged. “Which might just be the point.”

“Clearly. But still…”

“...and that’s not even counting how much cheaper it is for me _not_ to be in prison! You want to spend, what, forty grand to keep me in Blackgate for six months while you arrange a court date?” She scoffed. ”In that time, I’ve invested ten million in local businesses, and quadruple that across a dozen charities and _city-run social programs._ So, not only is it fiscally nonsensical to put me in prison...”

Renee stared at Kate, incredulous. “Oh my God…” she whispered.

“...grounds for a mistrial!” finished Kate.

Willis shot her an unamused look. “Are you done spouting legal jargon?”

“Yes.”

Willis gestured toward Kate. “The Kanes own the half of Gotham that Wayne _doesn’t,_ your honor. Miss Kane has access to _billions._ She could _buy_ the airline she wanted to use to escape.”

“That’s not how---you can’t just _buy_ an airline mid flight! And I still wouldn’t be able to make it on to the plane if you _put me on the no-fly list._ ”

“I think I’ve heard enough.” Snyder pinched his brow. “Miss Kane, no matter how...financially correct you are, the fact is, you _are_ a flight risk. You possess the means to avoid incarceration, and quite possibly extradition, should you flee the country, indefinitely.”

“Fine! Burn taxpayer money!” yelled Kate. “See how well that goes when you’re up for reelection!”

“I’m sure you’re right. Bail is denied. Next case.” And just like that, with another bang of the gavel, they dragged Kate out of the room and into the back. Straight on to Blackgate.

Wonderful.

 

* * *

 

Maggie whistled through her fingers and the MCU bullpen turned to attention. Oh, what wonderful things a few hours of sleep could do. “Listen up! Cornwell’s on leave, so I’ll be picking up some of his slack in here. As you all know, Katherine Kane has been accused, and charged, of being the Batwoman!” she said, raising her voice as she allowed the rest of her staff to crowd around her and the assignment board from the back of the room.

“Since this case is hectic as all hell, consider this your first official briefing, even though I’m sure some of you are more up to speed than others, or even proactive. Mayor Hady has called myself for updates a dozen times since Mitternacht made her accusation late last night, and the D.A. wants a conviction, and that’s what we do best, so we’re going to do that.”

Maggie sighed. “Now, I know some of you may not agree with this course of action, especially considering our current circumstances surrounding the Bat, and that the new guy has been nothing but cooperative, but the unfortunate truth here is that we don’t get to pick and choose.” She narrowed her eyes at the crowd, jumping from detective to detective.  “We’re police, and we’re _damn good_ police. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am!” they answered.

“Good.” Maggie picked up her tablet. “Romy, Takahata, you’re on Cameron Chase of Chase Investigations. Address is publicly listed. She worked the D.E.O.’s anti-bat crusade a while back. See what you can dig up, and if she’ll work with us.” She cycled through the duty roster. “Allen, MacDonald, track down the rest of the Kanes and interview them. Jacob, Bette, Beth and Catherine, with a ‘C’. They should be in town soon, if they weren’t already.”

“Bartlett, Del Arrazio, follow up with Arson regarding the Mitternacht penthouse fire. They might’ve found something. Davies, Crow, you two are on Natalia Mitternacht, currently in solitary holding at Blackgate. She already gave us a lot, but just to be sure you’re going to run at her again.”

“Montoya, Bullock...” She gave them a long look. “Search Kate’s penthouse from top to bottom. Leave nothing to chance. As for the rest of you, I’ll be handing out assignments as they arrive, but be ready and keep working the cases you’ve already got. Dismissed!”

The crowd quickly dispersed, with her five chosen teams running out of the door and onward to, ideally, something worthwhile. Maggie sighed.

Things were going too smoothly.

Way too smoothly, and this time she couldn’t blame paranoia on sleep deprivation. Something was going to explode, possibly literally, like it always did, but the trick was catching the pattern before the detonation. Minimize the damage. What if---

Her phone buzzed, unknown number, and she answered it. “Commissioner Sawyer.”

“ _Hello Commissioner, this is Director Asaf of the Department of Extranormal Operations. I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time.”_

Maggie raised her brows and slipped into the stairwell, shutting the door behind her. “No, sir, you have not. I assume you’re calling about the Batwoman case?”

“ _Indeed I am. I just wanted to let you and the rest of the GCPD know that we are perfectly content with Gotham taking care of this in house, so to speak. My predecessor had a rather embarrassing obsession with the vigilantes in your city, so the further we get from this, the better.”_

“I’ll keep that in mind, but it’s only a matter of time before the FBI gets involved. Even if we _could_ to work the case locally, they’ll take it from us. If you don’t want this getting out of town, you’ll have to make sure the bureau doesn’t scoop it up.”

“ _This isn’t a negotiation, Commissioner. It is simply a courtesy call.”_

“Uh huh,” said Maggie. “I respectfully disagree. It sounds far more like a show of good faith to me.”

“ _Okay. I’ll bite. What do you need?”_

“Let me make this real simple. You want to keep your distance? Keep the _other_ feds off of us. They dig too much, and something tells me you’re not going to like what they find.”

“ _What about her activities in Rio? Brazil could still call for extradition.”_

Maggie wrinkled her nose. “Why are you asking me? You’re the one with foreign influence, Director.” She pinched her brow. “Red Hood and Batgirl were there too, if memory serves. The child slavery rings they broke up were all over the news. So, just blame it all on Red Hood. He shoots people. Pretty sure he’s a wanted felon in most places, anyway.”

“ _Very well. I believe we’ve come to a suitable agreement. Best of luck with your investigation, Commissioner Sawyer.”_

And then the call ended.

Maggie made her way up to the roof and scoffed. No way that didn’t come with strings attached. They’ll probably call in a favor at some point down the line, but she didn’t have time to worry about that. She called Gordon. “Jim, just got off the phone with the new director of the D.E.O. Apparently, they _really_ don’t want to be a part of this, so that problem we were going to have with the bureau? No longer a concern.”

“ _What about Brazil?”_

“Blamed it on Red Hood.”

“ _In all likelihood, it probably would have went down like that anyway.”_

“Yeah,” Maggie frowned. “This is all suspiciously good.”

“ _Thinking the same. There’s a powder keg, but I can’t seem to see it, yet.”_

“You and me both.” She chewed on her cheek. “Investigation’s going well, and so are the _court proceedings,_ from one perspective. Lots of credible leads. Again, too well, but that could’ve been orchestrated.”

“ _You really think someone could pull all of this together in a matter of hours?”_

“I do, and at this point it doesn’t matter if it’s all one big hoax or not. Unless we can find proof that it’s one elaborate lie, it’s the truth.”

“ _Can’t argue with you there. Had any interference from the Bats?”_

Maggie pawed at her pockets for her cigarettes, only to remember that she’d handed those off to Montoya late the night before. Probably better that way, in the end. “None. So far, Batgirl’s kept her word.”

“ _Glad to hear it.”_

Maggie wrinkled her nose and stood next to the Batsignal. Which she was not going to take down until the Mayor ordered her to. “So, just gonna pull rank and pry, but...where are you right now? As much as I enjoy delegating the MCU, and it’s not like anybody thought it odd when I did, it’s strange that you’re not in trenches. Because you’re _always_ in the trenches with us.”

“ _Afraid I can’t divulge that information, Maggie. Got a fancy NDA and everything from Powers International.”_

“Bullshit. You’re practicing in some fancy holodeck, aren’t you?”

“ _I can neither confirm nor deny that. But you’re not wrong, per se.”_

Maggie scratched her forehead. “Okay, then.” She furrowed her brow. “Powder keg. Thought experiment. If you looked at this whole situation from an outside perspective, what would be the one thing that could throw the biggest wrench in all of this?”

“ _That’s a tough one. I don’t think there’s one single thing that could be the worst of it. A few dozen at once, sure, but just one? I suppose if she just plead guilty out of the blue, that’d be a catastrophe, but I think we can shelve that concern.”_

“Agreed, but just run with this for a minute. If, in theory, this is all going according to someone’s plan, then it’s equally possible that someone else has another plan that latches on to the first one, just to destroy it from the inside.”

“ _I think you watch too many spy movies, Maggie.”_

“I just got off the phone with the director of the D.E.O. and you’re playing _that_ card?”

“ _Fair point.”_ He paused. “ _Alright, what about a forced confession, maybe. But not verbal. Kate’d have to use some sort of technique only someone like the Batwoman would know. Something like that would have to be life or death, I bet.”_

“It’s not impossible. She _is_ in Blackgate by now. It’s not exactly a low-stress environment.”

“ _I remember. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see._ ”

Maggie looked out over the bay and frowned. It looked so much cleaner from a distance. “I hate playing the waiting game.”

“ _Yeah. Me too.”_

* * *

 

Kate rubbed her wrists as she waited in her conference ‘room’, courtesy of Blackgate Penitentiary. Such a tiny little room. Concrete and featureless, bland steel. She couldn’t deny the temptation to escape, since she knew with absolute certainty that she’d manage. Wouldn’t get very _far_ before being gunned down, but the point is that she could make it out of the building. The cuffs were, ironically, the least hindering thing about her situation. That tiny little chain was quite the tool in the right hands.  

But she wouldn’t. Wasn’t worth it. Nowhere near that. Besides, she _was_ thankful they hadn’t stuck her in solitary, as she’d assumed they would. Well, not yet, anyway.

Of course, as the minutes and hours went on, Rachel Green’s tardiness, even if she’d had _zero_ warning for her court hearing, was starting to get on Kate’s nerves. She started pacing, if one could even call it that, running the plan, every detail of it, through her head. Over and over and over again.

It’d work. It’d have to work. Renee had already managed to figure out her defense strategy, which was honestly quite impressive. She’d had the case, with minimal information, for less than twelve hours and was already ahead of her own lawyer. So, if she could deduce that, then the MCU side of things were progressing as they should be, if not better.

The door finally opened and Rachel Green, who had apparently dyed her hair back to its original blonde, walked in, large bag in hand. “Miss Kane, you’ll have to forgive my less than punctual arrival. Your cousin Bruce needed a...refresher course regarding his estate. It's the first time he, well his butler really, called me in _months._ Apparently, Bruce is an early riser now.”

Kate sat down at the table and raised her brow. She’d kind of thought that was part of Nocturna’s influence. “Wait, so he actually _does_ have amnesia? I thought that was just tabloid nonsense.”

“So did I, but he truly seems to be suffering from severe memory loss.” Rachel sat down next to her and opened her bag, pulling out her laptop. “Between you and me, I think this may be a blessing in disguise for him.”

“How? I’d think that most of that stuff in his head was sort of important. Who are we, if not but our memories?”

Rachel looked at her for a moment. “He doesn’t remember that his son is dead, or that he ever had one.”

Kate’s eyes widened. “Oh.” She cleared her throat. “We should get started.”

Rachel opened her laptop and started an audio recording program. “Yes. I’ve already reviewed the footage, and voice print analysis will confirm a match. I can say the same for your sister. They can also extrapolate your height, though there is margin for error thanks to the red combat boots the Batwoman was wearing.” She turned the screen towards Kate. “To make one thing perfectly clear, whether or not you are in fact the Batwoman is irrelevant to me. And that attitude seems to apply to the city as well.”

Kate leaned forward. “I noticed.”

“Moving on, I do believe there are several approaches that we can take in defending you.”

“If I were you, I’d lead with hypnosis,” she said, scratching her cheek. “We’re dealing with an actual vampire on the witness stand, somehow, and the detectives I spoke to---”

“Which was _extremely_ irresponsible---”

“Well, I know that _now_! You try thinking clearly after getting the snot beaten out of you by dirty cops!”

"Noted." Rachel nodded. “Noted. Why the hypnosis angle? It’s one of our options, and I see the merits, but why do you believe that to be the best course of action?”

Kate smirked. “Well, it’s a big test of faith, right? What’s more believable? That the rich lesbian socialite jew is some sort of crazed vigilante by night, or…” She licked the inside of her lips and sat up in her chair. “...that a vampire hypnotized her, did unspeakable things to her, and tried to frame her for a string of murders via implanted memories, hallucinations, and making her _believe_ that she was not only a vampire, but the Batwoman.”

Rachel looked away and tapped the table.  “The second would certainly add credence to her attempt to frame you. Vigilantism on that scale suggests extreme mental instability and a multitude of psychological disorders, making the murders that much easier to sell. Not only that, but with the Jim Gordon’s manslaughter conviction recently being overturned due to off-brand Mad Hatter mind control, that concept is still firmly in the public’s minds.” She turned back to her and tilted her head. “Tell me, are you well versed in hand-to-hand combat?”

“I’m a wealthy gay jewish woman---”

“You already said that.”

“No, I didn’t. I used different words.” Kate huffed. “Anyway, I’m a person who is... _all of those things_ in Gotham City that goes out several nights a week.” Kate shrugged. “I’d be crazy _not_ to have some means of defending myself. Mostly krav maga, though. My father knows this ex-Mossad woman, got her to teach me.”

“Any experience in other forms?”

“Sure. Plenty when I was going through BEAST, though not as comprehensive. Back then I was more of a marksman than anything else.”

Rachel played the video on her computer. “Alright. Watch this and tell me how you would describe Batwoman’s movements. Are they capable? Masterful?”

Kate furrowed her brow as she watched herself...make mistakes. Really embarrassing, stupid mistakes that left her wide open. She was charging without thought, almost like she was mimicking herself from an old, grainy home video. “Clumsy. Amateur. I’m surprised she didn’t trip on her own cape, if I’m being honest.”

Rachel nodded. “What else do you notice?”

“ _Then tell me this: if you’re undead, then why are you bleeding?_ ” said Beth.

Kate tilted her head and opened her mouth. “She _breached_ the suit with a throwing knife.” She rolled up her sleeve, revealing the faded scar on her left forearm, just below her tattoo of a bluebird. “If the Batwoman can leap through panes of glass without so much as a scratch, then there’s no way that’s her suit.” She smiled, burying the her continuing concern of why in God’s name had she been in her old gear at the time?!

The D.E.O. upgrade was only ever damaged when ancient greek _magic_ was in play. Was that Nocturna’s influence?  To weaken her physically, so she could attack her psychologically and emotionally? Was Kate just trying to get herself killed because it was the only way she could subconsciously resist...her...hold.

Ah. That was it. Note to subconscious: don’t pull that kind of stunt again.

“You are a brilliant woman,” said Kate.

“I know.”

“But, wait, how are we supposed to prove that it’s just a knock-off suit? We can’t exactly just call Batman or Batwoman to testify.”

Rachel smiled. “We don’t need to. _They_ didn’t make her suit.”

“Then who did?”

“The D.E.O.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Think I've mentioned this before, but I love this 'idea' here: Kate has to prove to the world that she's NOT Batwoman, while also proving to herself that she IS. 
> 
> Maggie chewing out Harvey for his rather inconsistent attitude towards vigilantes is just me having a bit of fun. One moment he's like "Hey, Batman's one of the good guys" and the next he's like "He's a public menace!" Even though his close friendship with Jim makes the latter totally random and confusing. Also the mayor's name is Solomon Hady. S. Hady. Mayor Shady. God, I love that so much. It's like Dr. Tom Morrow. So fun.
> 
> To clarify, yes, Kate IS exploiting the hell out of her situation here by accusing Natalia of rape...but only in the sense that she has yet to accept that it's true. So a lot of the interrogation scene isn't acting or really lying on Kate's front. It's a lot of subconscious stuff she's been pushing aside (as she almost always does to 'soldier on') spewing out because it serves to help her current situation. She'll get there, don't worry. Also, y'know, bit of commentary there on how the general public/police treats cases of sexual abuse if it's not a male committing the act on a female. I can't imagine for a moment that this is something that wouldn't be disgusting to Kate, regardless of her current situation.
> 
> Also, this scene brings up that wonderfully inconsistent (and ridic) concept to Nocturna's hypnotic abilities. Beth's understanding of them, as stated again in this chapter, doesn't really hold up to a lot of the crap she pulled, so I'm using a bit of artistic interpretation here (especially since Nocturna plays fast and loose with vampire things in the first place) so things make more sense. I feel like 'coercion' is a better metric than 'what you'd normally do'. Kate could never be coerced into killing someone (unless they were nazis, etc) but she can be coerced into doing tons of other crap. That was basically the set-up for the first 24 (though in spirit 26) issues of her solo book, since the DEO used her father to blackmail her.
> 
> Okay, so the Snyder thing, it's a pretty fun meta joke, imho. Y'all have probably heard of both. Scott Snyder is the one who wrote Batman Vol 2 (Court of Owls, etc), which was fucking amazing and I totally adore his interpretation as to why people live in Gotham (which gets invoked in this story pretty heavily) in the first place. Zach Snyder is the guy at the helm of the DCEU, y'know Man of Steel and Batman v Superman. The gag here is that Zach doesn't really seem to 'get' a lot of the fundamentals revolving the trinity. Like, Superman is supposed to smile, dammit. Even in the darkest of timelines he still freaking smiles. Also that Batman could've just...picked up that Kryptonite spear while Diana held "Doomsday" in place with her lasso, shot him in the face with his last kryptonite grenade to stun him, and then used the spear as freaking javelin. Boom, done. Doomsday is dead, day is saved, Superman doesn't die like a doofus.
> 
> D.A. Willis is the same attorney that prosecuted Bruce Wayne for murder during the aptly named "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?" storyline, and their case numbers are actually inverted! As such, Blackgate historically housed men and women, and acts as a combo prison/holding facility for those awaiting trial. The Schreck comes into play...somehow. Best I can figure out is that it's the main processing hub for intake for the Gotham/Bludhaven corridor. 
> 
> Also it's still super unclear as to WHERE Kate's money comes from, which is kinda why I injected philanthropy/volunteer work and investing into her activities here, as to be a socialite and relevant to the press, you actually need to DO THINGS for the community. The Kanes are historically rich as hell like the Waynes, but also have a long tradition of military service (thanks Tynion IV!) so Jacob Kane's money is probably inheritance. The late PHILIP Kane was running Wayne Industries for a long time, and as far as I know he was the eldest son of their father, so he probs had the 'money'. It's also established that Jacob's home is the KANE estate, not the HAMILTON estate (ie it's not Catherine's money that bought the house, and it's super old thanks to those bootlegging tunnels Andreyko introduced, which was admittedly a cool idea), so I'm guessing it's just easier for Jacob to launder his second wife's money to fund Kate than it is his own, for some reason. Even though it's their collective money, but w/e.
> 
> Deconstructing the case against Kate is a genuine joy, and I hope her discussion with Rachel reflects that. Apophenia, friends. The tendency to see connections where none exist. Deducing EXACTLY the training Kate got at West Point, and what the Murder of Crows taught her was...tricky. There's wiggle room. Additionally, the resilience of Kate's D.E.O. designed batsuit comes into play yet again.
> 
> NEXT WEEK: GREASY WHEEL GETS THE DEAL (or something more clever, we'll see)


	4. Delusions of Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate had prepared for the long haul; six months of residence in Blackgate Penitentiary. A necessary hell. Her family, however, aren’t the biggest fans of that part, among other things. Meanwhile, Renee continues dive deeper into apophenia: the tendency to see connections where none exist. Except they, uh, do exist. Somehow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://imgur.com/1fbXEov)   
> 

Renee knocked on the Kane penthouse door, unsure why she was disappointed that it wasn’t the place she’d once known. At least, not technically. Apparently a giant monster had destroyed the original Kane building, which had since been rebuilt, giant tree and all. Still, the original would have been easier to search, that was for sure.

Harvey stood at her back, taking a closer look at the fancy fixtures that ran along the hallway. “Not gonna announce yourself?” he asked.

“Just puts people on edge when they don’t need to be, Harv. And you heard what Kate said about her sister. No telling what her reaction would be to hostility, or if she’s even here at all.”

The door swung open, and Renee had to do a double-take. She’d seen _pictures_ of Beth, but to meet her in person was a new level of surreal. Except for the hair, blonde instead of red with different styling, they were perfectly identical at first glance.

“Can I help you?” asked Beth, her voice, again, the same as Kate’s. Strange as all hell, and yet, there was that feeling of deja vu again. Starting to give her a headache.

Renee nodded and displayed her badge. “I hope so. I’m Detective Renee Montoya, and this…” She jabbed her thumb behind her.  “...is Detective Harvey Bullock, GCPD. Just gonna take a wild guess and say that you’re Elizabeth Kane?”

Beth sighed and gestured for them to enter. “I will be once I’m able to make it back to City Hall again. You’re here about, Kate, right? Is she okay? I haven’t heard from her since those cops took her this morning.”

Renee and Harvey walked into the penthouse, with Beth closing the door behind them. Her home was a strikingly perfect balance of...postmodern and contemporary? Though surprisingly lived in considering the construction. Most homes with that arrangement felt bland. Stale, almost like they were formed out of a strange, cookie cutter interior designer’s mind.  

But not Kate’s. The entire penthouse just _oozed_ her.

“Your sister is fine, but she’s been detained at Blackgate until her court date. You’re more than welcome to visit---”

“Excuse me? I don’t understand. She got arrested _this morning_. How is she already in jail?” asked Beth, very animated. Huh.

“Lotta greased wheels, Miss Kane,” said Harvey. “Happened so fast not even her lawyer could get there in time. Woulda gone down the same way no matter what, so don’t feel too bad about it.”

Beth scowled. “Corruption. If that was supposed to make me feel at ease, it doesn’t. Now, please get out of my sister’s home. I have nothing to say to you until I speak with _our_ lawyer.”

Harvey pulled the warrant out of his pocket. “‘Fraid we can’t do that, Miss Kane. Need to search the place, but we ain’t the ones who’re gonna ask you questions. That’d be Allen and MacDonald, who you’ll meet pretty soon.”

“My mistake. Of course you do.” She sat down on the living room couch. “Go. Do what you have to.”

Renee bit her lip. “Beth. Is it okay if I call you Beth?”

Beth looked at her for a moment. Little longer than typical. “That’s fine.”

Renee sat down beside her. “Thank you. Okay, Beth, look, we’re not out to get Kate. Last thing we want is for her to get convicted..” She frowned. “But we’ve still got our jobs to do.”

“ _Both_ of you?”

“Yes.”

“Ah.” Beth smiled. “Then I trust if I were to leave and visit my sister as a show of support, you wouldn’t destroy her home?” she said, gesturing around the penthouse.

“You have our word, Abigail.”

“My...My name is Elizabeth.”

“Right---I know. Something about you just reminds me of an old case I worked,” she said, her head pounding again.

“Oh. Very well, Detective Montoya. Please be sure to finish before I return.” Beth got up and slipped on her coat. “And if you break something, I _will_ know.” She walked out the door and slammed it behind her.

Renee stared at the doorway for a moment, mulling that last comment over in her head. “Was she being racist, or just angry?”

“Racist?” Harvey wrinkled his nose. “Coulda sworn your parents were _Dominican._ ”

“I am, but that doesn’t---ugh, nevermind. Forget about it.” She rose from the couch and made a throwaway gesture before zeroing back in on Harvey. “You’re just screwing with me, aren’t you?”

Harvey grinned. “Something like that. So, who the hell is Abigail?”

Renee pinched her brow. “Mother Superior Abigail Lincoln-Gray. She ran a high-end brothel up in Maryland, right outside D.C. Heavy into the occult. Religion of Crime, that sort of thing.”

“Now _that’s_ a story. What was she doing in Blüdhaven?”

“I…” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was a fire. Guilt and blood. Lessons. Lessons of---and then it was gone. Thoughts drowning back into the black waters of memory. “I don’t want to talk about it.” She furrowed her brow and her eye caught on the hannukiah, placed atop a small table in front of a painting with some sort of hebrew lettering and symbol. “Just drop it, alright?”

“Okay. Work our way into the master bedroom?”

Renee turned back to him. “Sounds good to me."

 

* * *

  
Kate stumbled back into her cell and frowned as it slammed shut behind her. She rubbed her bruised wrists together and sat down on the hard cot. Which wasn’t all that unfamiliar. Plebs slept in worse conditions at West Point, after all. And it _was_ a bed, and she hadn’t gotten much sleep.  

She yawned and laid down, pushing aside the pain in her ribs, deciding that, thankfully, there was nothing more she could do until the next step, which was completely out of her hands. And most likely weeks ahead. Still, though, she ran through the details again. As soon as Pop got back in town---

A blurry, headache inducing face, popped down from the top bunk with what...could've been a gauging look. “Sleep would be unwise in this moment, Batwoman.”

Kate yelped and sat up, banging her head up against the top bunk. “What---how, I didn’t---” She rubbed her forehead and groaned. How many times was she going to hit her head in one day? “You scared the crap out of me. I knew I’d probably be getting a cellmate while I was here, but not while I was _out._ ”

“I am not your cellmate.”

Kate just stared at the woman, struggling to make sense of her face. “Right. Why is that, exactly? And why is your face all twisted?”

The woman lowered herself on to the ground in a way that could only be described as elegant and somehow also violent. “I am not a prisoner, thus we are not cellmates. As for my face, well, that's not really your concern.”

“Okay, but you’re in a _prison,_ dressed like a prisoner, so…” She gestured to her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name over all of this cryptic stuff. And your lack of face.”

“You may call me Sandra for now, but you will know me by another name soon enough.”

Kate gave her an unamused look. Great. Crazy, faceless person sleeping above her. “I’m sure I will. I’m Kate. It’s nice, to, uhm, meet you. I guess.”

Sandra smiled, and Kate decided to consider why she could make out facial expressions but not any _details_ until things had quieted down. “I’m well aware of who you are, Miss Kane. I’ve been watching you for quite a while now.”

Kate backed up further into the cot, against the wall, and shivered at the predatory energy _dripping_ from every part of Sandra’s presence. Her eyes, her posture, her smile. Deja vu. “That’s...incredibly creepy.”

Sandra rolled her eyes. “Oh for---no, not like _that_. I’ve been gauging your ability as a warrior.”

Kate wrinkled her nose. “...on the dance floor?”

“No. As the Batwoman.”

“I am so sick of hearing people call me that today, and how in God’s name did you even hear about this if you’re _in prison_?!”

“I didn’t. As I said, I have been watching you very closely. Ever since you returned to Gotham, in fact.”

Kate pinched the bridge of her nose. It didn’t matter how she knew all that she did, only that she, for the moment, didn’t seem to care about the legality of it. Clearly an undercover agent, or something similar. “From my adventuring abroad. Soul searching---”

“---training. Grueling. Quite literal torture. Things that would drive lesser women to madness if not suicide.” she said, furrowing her brow. “Tokyo, Otama, Berlin, Paris, Monte Rosa, Shanghai, Siberia, London, Belfast, the Sahara, Prague, Astana, Tel Aviv, Sharamut, Pripyat; I can relate, though your trials were by _choice,_ much like your cousin’s, who still insists on boring me. But _you,_ you have potential.”

Kate scowled. “I don’t care what you think you know about me. You stay the hell away from Bette, understand?” she growled. “You have a problem, you come to _me._ ”

Sandra just laughed. “Yes, _Bette_. Bette, of course. Bette.” She waved her off. “I wouldn’t worry about her. She does not interest me.” She tapped her chin. “Now, since we’ve established that any lie or facade you put up will be torn down just as quickly, why don’t you tell me how you plan to escape?”

Kate huffed and laid back down. “I don’t.”

“Yet you cannot beat this conviction. The people don’t _care_ about the truth, only that their desires are fulfilled.”

Kate shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

“You’ve _accepted_ failure?”

“No. I can beat it, because I’m not the Batwoman,” she grumbled. “Now, could you please be quiet? I haven’t slept in God only knows how long and---”

And then she was choking; Sandra’s hand closing her throat with inhuman speed and strength. She tried to push her off, but every move she made was countered so quickly she couldn’t even _see_ it happen. Okay, maybe _not_ an undercover cop. Hands on her neck. Natalia’s _hands on her neck._ Nails digging in, drawing blood, sucking her dry. Mind, body and soul.  Again, and again, and again, and again, and again and---

“You are the Batwoman. If you deny it once more, I will start breaking---”

Kate tore out a massive tuft of Sandra’s hair and lost control, striking faster than she’d thought possible. She kicked her out of the bed and slammed her forehead into the metal beam, dislocating her arm and pinning her, growling like a cornered animal. “You stay the _fuck_ away from me or so help me God I will make immortality a more literal living hell than you ever thought possible,” she snarled. “You think you’ve seen me at my worst, Nocturna? Trust me. _You have no idea what I’m capable of doing_.”

Sandra laughed, broke her hold, and kicked her into the wall in the time it took for Kate to blink. She hit the concrete hard and felt her cellmate’s hand over her mouth, propping her up, before she could vocalize the pain in her ribs. “My, isn’t _that_ telling.” she said, grinning. And, with a disgusting crack, she reset her arm without moving a _muscle._  

Kate’s eyes widened and she stared back at her, silent. Unsure as to what the _hell_ was going on.

“Hmm.” Sandra wiped the blood from her forehead and gazed at it, curious. “I do believe you are correct. I had not considered you quite capable of such brutality... _yet._ I misjudged the effect the daywalker would have on you, though…” She frowned. “...I suppose I should not have. That specific form of trauma is not something one can simply power through, after all.”

Kate looked at her like she’d grown a second head. Were she a _normal_ person, those strikes should have nearly beaten her unconscious, but there was no sign of fear or pain. Not to mention that revolting trick with her arms. “Who _are_ you and what do you want from me?”

Sandra smirked and rose to her feet, yet again violent and elegant. “You already know my name, and for the moment, nothing. I’m not here for you. This was just a happy coincidence.”

“There’s no hebrew word for coincidence.”

“Right. Of course. Meant to be, then.” Sandra leaned against the wall and looked out of the cell. “She’s here, you know. In solitary with the rest of the so-called super criminals.”

“Okay. You have officially lost me, and I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”

Sandra narrowed her eyes at her. “Nocturna. Natalia Mitternacht. Your abuser. The one who ra---”

“Stop! Just stop! How do you even know about any of this?! No, wait, you’ve been watching me. Of course you have. Well, stop. I want _nothing_ to do with that monster. Or you, for that matter. Ever.”

Sandra studied her for a moment. “You still fear the power she wields over your mind. Slay the beast, and she is no longer a threat.” She shrugged. “To _you,_ anyway. She attempted to invade my mind the moment I stepped foot in this place, but that is not so easily accomplished,” she said, tapping her forehead. “Kill her, and I am willing to teach you how I defeated her.”

Kate sat back down on the bed. “You’re lying, and you gain _nothing_ from that arrangement. If you can resist her, you can kill her more easily than I theoretically could.”

Sandra grinned. “Oh, but I do gain something, Batwoman. Something _far_ more valuable than anything I could ever teach you.” She tilted her head. “Your willingness to _kill._ ”

Kate shook her head. “You are one sick, twisted woman, you know that?”

“Consider my offer. Pledge to me that you will kill your monster when she escapes to recapture you, or die attempting to escape her wrath.” She examined her fingernails. “The choice is yours, but I would much rather my investment in you bear fruit than watch you bleed out on the floor.”

“Just going to ignore that part about investment because I don’t have the energy to get into whatever _that’s_ about, so…” Kate furrowed her brow. “Escape? How could she escape? Her powers are nullified and she’s probably in one of those boxes they use for _Bane_.”

“Nullified? She’s a _vampire_. Are you truly so naive as to think that something so trivial as a fancy collar could inhibit her ancient abilities?”

“Still not strong enough to open the doors.”

“No, but she could be. With more blood.”

Kate frowned. “Okay. Great. I’ll keep it in mind. Can I sleep now, Sandra?”

“Say the words, and I will permit you to rest.”

Kate made fists in the cot. “There’s no point. You already know what you know. Nothing I say will change that or have any real meaning.”

Sandra nodded. “Wise answer. Sleep.”

“Yeah. _Thanks_.” She bit her lip and rolled to face the wall. Dammit. “Soldier.”

“Hm?”

“You said the Batwoman was a warrior. She’s not. She’s a _soldier._ ”

“So she is.”

 

* * *

 

“You find anything in the other rooms?” asked Renee, peeking her head into Kate’s bedroom. Gorgeous and functional.  And that bed looked _so perfect_ to just pass out on. She edged to the side to make way for Harvey.

“Nothin’ relevant,” he said. “Even pulled on everything that looked like it might be a switch to a hidden room. And no, I didn’t break anything.”

Renee raised a brow and slipped into the walk-in closet, catching herself in the mirror way at the end, mostly because she’d started to remember how to push Harvey’s buttons. Guy really had an appreciation for nice clothes, even if he never dressed like it. World’s greatest window shopper.  “You try the bookshelf? Fireplace?” She flipped on the light and raised her brows. “...sure do have a thing for backless tops, don’t we Kate?”

Harvey turned on the TV and flipped over to the local news station. Vicki Vale again, somehow. “That was the first thing I tried.  Then the lamps, and there aren’t any buttons or locks underneath the counters and tables. Balcony’s more than big enough for a, uh, _glided landing,_ though. Then I checked that guitar case, y'know since those old school Chicago mobsters hid machine guns in there, so I thought, hey, why not?”

"But it was just a guitar."

"A very  _nice_ guitar, but yeah."

 _“...breaking news, if you’re just joining us. Katherine Kane, renowned Gotham socialite, philanthropist, activist and lover to Natalia Mitternacht, was taken into custody earlier this morning on the steps of City Hall,”_ said Vicki, sounding just a little too excited to be professional. _“Eye witnesses say she was physically assaulted and accused of being the Batwoman. And not only that, but we’ve also gotten unconfirmed reports of a long lost twin sister being present at the time! Additionally, she has already been denied bail and is currently being held in Blackgate Penitentiary until her court date. If you think that was quick, well, so do we.”_

“It sounds so much like a soap opera when she puts it like that,” said Renee, making her way through unfathomably tailored outfit after outfit. “Can you check if the Daily Planet caught the story yet? I’d rather you read me Lane than listen to this lady yack. Hell, change the channel, too, while you’re at it.” She whistled as she found the lingerie ‘section’, for lack of a better word. Hot freaking damn. She snapped a few photos with her phone. “...got to find cheap chinese knock-offs of these…” she whispered, sending the pictures to Daria with the message ‘ _pick one_ ’.  

“Yeah, hold on, let me finish checking the nightstand. Got a whole drawer filled with phone chargers in here.”

The TV clicked.

“ _...wondering why the real Batwoman hasn’t shown up yet? Because she_ is _the Batwoman!”_ ranted some local correspondent with a tinny voice. “ _It’s the perfect cover story! This is a woman with military training, a history of family trauma, and stays out until daybreak on a regular basis---you don’t need to be a genius to figure this out, folks!”_

 _“Stephen, if the Batwoman showed up, wouldn’t that just cast suspicion on her supposedly dead twin sister? I mean, it’s a boneheaded_ Parent Trap _kind of move, but if I were Kate Kane, I’d have at least tried that by now. She’s already locked up, after all.”_

“ _You’re both wrong. I think it’s a little more telling that Miss Kane didn’t defend herself against those two cops. We’ve all seen the pictures. That poor woman was beaten to a bloody pulp! If she were Batwoman, they wouldn’t have been able to lay a finger on her.”_

 _“Unless that’s what she_ wants _us to think!”_

“So sick of these talking heads,” said Harvey, turning the channel again.“Okay, looks like Planet’s still working on a full feature, but---eh, Lane’s got a little blurb out. Still want it?”

Renee sifted through the rest of the clothes, checking behind them for God knows what. “Yeah, go for it.” She pulled open several drawers worth of shoes and heels. Renee looked in the mirror again and raised a brow. She started to trace her fingers along the edge of it.

“Breaking news out of Gotham City today. Respected philanthropist, blah, blah, blah, okay here’s the meat.” Harvey cleared his throat. “With so little information at this time, this reporter wonders why the rest of country isn’t focusing on yet another example of heinous police brutality, especially when the act itself could easily be construed as a hate crime. If she’s the Batwoman, then she’s the Batwoman. None of that justifies taking her out into a deserted alleyway like dog to be put down, smashing her into the concrete and electrocuting her before she was even charged with a crime.”

Renee wrinkled her nose. “How the hell does she already know about the alley? Nevermind. Pulitzer-winning reporter. Probably has eyes everywhere.” Her fingers caught on a latch, and then a second one. A third. “Hello, what’s this…” She unhooked them and the mirror creaked open, revealing family photos, a degree from West Point (stolen, since it was unsigned), college diplomas, childhood diaries, an old wooden baseball bat, gymnastics trophies and one very conspicuous safe.  “Bingo.”

Harvey walked up behind her. “Huh. Woulda thought she’d be the kind to hide that behind a painting.”

“Yeah? Not behind a waterfall or inside an active volcano?” Renee snorted and knelt down in front of the safe, tapping the wheel. “Gimme a minute, and I’ll get this open.” She pressed her ear to the door and locked in on some old, almost forgotten muscle memory. The tumblers clicked within the steel, like a whisper.

Right, fifty-two.

“Uhhh, Renee…?”

“Shhh, this is quiet work.”

Left, ten.

“Renee.”

Right, forty-eight.

“Will you just wait a second?” And just like that, the safe was cracked. She opened the door and raised a brow. Old VHS tapes, a polaroid of Kate and Beth with burnt edges, tattered journals of the late Gabrielle Kane, some sort of certificate written in hebrew, and a few books by someone named Ingrid Pitt. “See, was that so hard?”

Harvey put his hand on her shoulder. “How long have you known how to safecrack?”

Renee raised a brow. “Huh?” She looked back at the safe. “I just sort of did it. Think...I’ve always known how.” She rubbed her forehead, ignoring the subtle muffled sound flowing through her ears. Like someone was speaking through a skin-tight mask. And underwater. All warbling. “Or maybe I’m just sleep deprived and can’t think straight.”

“Don’t think your lack of sleep is really the cause of that.”

Renee snickered. “No, but it _is_ why I found that funny. If I were well rested, that never would have flown.”

“Yeah, that must be why you laughed. Couldn’t possibly be funny.” Harvey picked up one of the tapes. “ _T_ _he Vampire Lovers._ Now _this_ is just weird.”

Renee nodded and checked the titles of the books. “ _The Ingrid Pitt Bedside Companion for Vampire Lovers_. _The Ingrid Pitt Bedside Companion for Ghosthunters_. _The Ingrid Pitt Book of Murder, Torture and Depravity._ ” She crooked her lips to the side and unlocked her phone.  “That’s it. Googling her, because I think we might have a full blown obsession here.”

“Just looked up the tapes. Part of the same trilogy of crappy vampire movies made in the 70s, based on some old irish novella called _Carmilla_. First one’s famous for explicit scenes of ‘lesbianism’. Says they were never released on VHS, so what we have here is a bootleg.”

“Harvey, the labels are handwritten in sharpie. Of course they’re bootlegs. But the lesbian thing makes sense, sort of.” Renee narrowed her eyes as she read through Ingrid Pitt’s wikipedia entry. “Huh. Holocaust survivor, jewish, activist, writer, actress, amateur pilot with a black belt in karate. Elevated to cult figure from her work with Hammer Film Productions in _The Vampire Lovers_. Died November 23rd, 2010.”

“Gay?”

“Doesn’t say, but she _did_ play the lesbian vampire in that movie.”

Harvey crooked his lips to the side. “So, basically, all we’ve got here is proof that Kate treasures this schlock for some reason.” He scratched his stubble. “And a weird connection to vampirism.”

Renee furrowed her brow and stood up. “No, wait, there’s…” She snapped her fingers. “Hammer Films. _Hammer Films._ ” She brought up the video of Nocturna’s confession on her phone and skipped to the fight with ‘Beth’.  “Okay, here we go…”

_“WILL DRINK YOU DRY!”_

_“A vampire? Ha! You fetishized those Hammer films since you were six!”_  

“Christ.” Harvey raised his brows. “How the hell did you put that together, Montoya?”

Renee shrugged. “Just saw the dots and connected them, like always.”

“No, see, that only works when there _are_ dots to connect. You pulled these out of the air.”

“Come on, Harv. It was _in_ the video.”

“Yeah, sure. Except nobody was paying attention to that part. No reason to. It’s just a black cape in front of the lense.”

Renee smirked. “Then I guess you weren’t asking the right _questions._ ”

Harvey stared at her for a moment.  “...I feel like that was supposed to be a pun, but I’m not catching it.”

“Me either.” She rubbed her eyes. “Think I _really_ do need a nap. Getting loopy.”

“No kidding.”

 

* * *

 

Kate snorted awake at the banging on her cell door. She rolled out of bed and gave the guard a tired look. “Hmm?”

“Kane, you’ve got visitors. Come with me,” she said.

Kate rubbed her eyes. “Already? How long was I out---”

“ _Now,_ inmate.”

Kate nodded and held out her hands, allowing the woman to cuff her. She was _really_ getting sick of those things. The guard led her out of her cell and slammed it shut, but not before Kate managed to check the top bunk...which was empty. Somehow.

She’d probably have to deal with that later.

The guard escorted her through the rest of GenPop, around corners and hallways she had yet to memorize but quickly did (never hurt to review the mental floor plan of where you were), and through the visitation checkpoint. Cuffs off, mercifully.

“Booth number two; you’ve got twenty minutes,” said the checkpoint officer, basically shoving her through the doorway. Again with the shoving. _Always_ with the shoving.

Kate stumbled into the narrow hallway and couldn’t help but smile as she sat down in the second booth. Seeing her father, Beth, Bette and Catherine on the other side of the glass would have that effect. They were saying something, all of them worried and excited and upset (except for Beth who was just looked uncomfortable) and muffled behind the barrier. She chuckled and picked up the phone, mirroring her father. “Hey Pop.”

“ _Kate, sweetheart, are you okay?”_ asked her father. _“What happened to you? You look like hell, soldier.”_

Kate shrugged. “Crooked cops thought I was the Batwoman, and didn’t like that. It’s okay, though, really. I’m fine. It’s all most likely superficial damage.” She cleared her throat. “Plus, they didn’t stick me in solitary, and I think my cell mate’s a super villain. Either that or a master assassin. Could be both.” She licked the inside of her lips. “Moving on, Beth, what have you told them?”

“ _Everything,_ ” said Beth.

Bette nodded. “ _S_ _he was super thorough, Kate. We’re all caught up, so don’t you worry about us.”_

“I’m not. I trust you.”

“ _Then why didn’t you return our calls for the past six months?!”_ demanded Catherine. _“We’ve been worried sick!”_

Kate raised a brow. There would be time to talk about how, again, Catherine was _not_ her mother and boundaries later. “...what are you talking about? Nobody’s called me in about that long, and I’m just now realizing that I didn’t think that was odd...” She wrinkled her nose. “...or that Beth just _showed up_ at my apartment and said you went ‘off the grid’---” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Oh my God. Beth did you---”

“ _I did. I lied. I’m sorry,”_ said Beth.

“ _We called you when she ran off, but you didn’t respond, so we kept looking,”_ said Pop.

“You keep saying you called, but I swear I never got any messages. I would have returned them.”

Beth rubbed her chin. “ _Dad, may I borrow your phone for a moment?”_

Pop handed it to her. “ _Got an idea?”_

 _“A suspicion.”_ She cycled through his contacts. _“Ah, here we are. The number you have listed is incorrect.”_

“Beth, I’ve had the same cell number for more than a decade,” said Kate. “How is that even possible?”

 _“Could be a glitch,”_ added Bette. “ _Those rapid system updates have a nasty track record of messing with your data.”_

Beth checked her own phone. “ _404-552-2000, yes?”_

“No, it’s 404-512-1818.”

_“That’s not what it’s listed as in my phone, and we’ve been communicating for over a week.”_

“Right, and Natalia gave you my number---” Kate flashed her teeth. “That sick, twisted monster! She changed my phone number! That’s why nobody called me!”

“ _The more I hear about that woman, the more she sickens me,”_ said Pop. “ _Just so we’re clear, what Beth told us...that was all true, correct?”_

“Yeah. Or at least, it makes more sense than drugs.” Kate took a deep breath and centered herself. “Daywalker psychic who brainwashed me into sleeping with her. Sort of. Longer story than that, but yes, Beth---”

“ _Not a ‘sort of’,”_ said Beth. “ _Just as is, was, and did.”_

Her father nearly leaped out of his seat, his eyes bulging and head turning dark red in rage. “ _She did WHAT to you?!”_ he snapped. “ _Beth, why in God’s name would you omit that part?!”_

Beth looked away. _“Not my place to tell.”_

“You’re not even missing anything, Pop! You just said everything there was to know.” Kate held up her palm, placating. “It was hypnosis! Geez, just calm down! It’s gone now, okay? There’s nothing to worry about.”

“ _How can you say that after she---”_ He closed his mouth for a moment and started to cry. Catherine and Bette did as well. “ _Dear lord, Kate. We should have stayed. We should have stayed in Gotham. This never would’ve happened to you if we hadn’t left.”_ He put his hand on the glass. “ _I'_ _m so,_ so _sorry, sweetheart.”_

Kate put her hand on his and smiled small. “Pop, guys, it’s _okay,_ really. I can beat this. _We_ can beat this. You know we can.” She nodded. “There’s nothing to cry about, alright? Everything’s going to be fine.”

But they just kept bawling, except for Beth, who couldn’t make eye contact with her. What the hell was going on? Kate sighed and leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. Okay. Nocturna brainwashes her, messes with her head to make her think she loved her. Blacks out her memory, drinks her blood, takes over her mind, body and almost her soul. Nightmarish stuff, but...temporary. She was angry too, of course, but she needed to keep herself together until she was safe.

Beth frowned and took the phone. “ _Are you really so oblivious, or are you drowning in your own denial?”_

“You don’t think we can win this case?”

“ _This isn’t about that. This is about you. What happened to you. What that woman did to you.”_

Kate covered her eyes. “Beth, you _know_ what happened.”

_“Yes. I do. Though you yourself do not. You were not of sound mind and body during all of this.”_

Kate frowned. “I’m aware. Just say what you’re trying to say.”

“ _She raped you, Kate. For months.”_

Kate’s eyes widened. “Good lord, Beth---you seriously think that? You really believe that I’d let something like that happen?” She scoffed. “Guys, there’s clearly been a big misunderstanding. She didn’t---that didn’t happen. It was never like that. She got in my head and pulled out what was already there. I wish I’d never met her, and yes, she is a monster, but she’s not some kind of _rapist._ ”

Bette wrestled the phone away from Beth. “ _Are you seriously defending her right now?! What the hell happened to you?! Listen to yourself and just think for a second!”_

 _"_ Kane! Time’s up!” barked the guard.  

Kate sighed. “I’ve gotta go. I love you guys, and, I’ll see you soon, okay?” She hung up the phone and watched them mouthing ‘I love you, too’ just long enough before getting dragged back through the checkpoint.  Of all the things for them to zero in on, why did it have to be the one thing that basically wasn’t even close to being true?

Or, wasn’t true.

After all, she’d _wanted_ that. Even though she’d wanted Maggie.

Kate shook out her thoughts and buried them for later. Keep out of trouble. Best behavior. No more fights with crazy cellmates. Just bide your time until the court date. Then, you’re home free.

If everything went as planned, of course.

Which it would.

 

* * *

 

“... _just give us a few more hours, Commissioner. I’m telling you, she’s just about to give up something big!”_ said Davies, his voice cutting out from interference. Reception wasn’t so great that deep into Blackgate’s solitary wing.

Maggie skimmed through the interview notes in her office that Romy had taken from Chase, and the summary of the files she’d ‘submitted’ into evidence. Same as it was in the morning. “You and Crowe have been in that room _all day,_ Detective Sergeant. She hasn’t dropped a single shred of information in that time, so what makes you think she’ll break from another few hours?”

“ _It’s just a gut feeling I’ve got. I can’t explain it, but I feel like if I leave, I’d be leaving behind the biggest bust of my career.”_

Maggie raised a brow. “You think she’s holding back something that huge?”

_“Bet my badge on it.”_

“Well, let’s not do anything hasty, Davies. I’m listening, though,” she said, taking a sip of her coffee. “Sell me on it.”

“ _Don’t have to pay me OT for it. That’s my sell.”_

Maggie nearly spat out her coffee. “That go the same for Crowe?!”

“ _Damn right it does. That’s how serious we are, Commissioner. You just gotta trust us.”_

Maggie leaned back in her chair and huffed. To give up OT was like giving up, well, everything. It was how they made ends meet; hell it was basically impossible to do that if they _didn’t_ get that extra boost. To be that dedicated was a whole different level. “You’ve got two hours. Don’t push it.”

“ _We won’t. Thank you, ma’am.”_

“You’re welcome. Just don’t try that sell again. Makes you sound _obsessed---_ ”

The call dropped.

Maggie shrugged and went back to reviewing paperwork. Information on the probable Batwomen, findings at Kate’s penthouse, contact information on the ‘Murder of Crows’, and so and so on. Typical, run-of-the-mill paperwork.

“...obsessed,” mumbled Maggie. She raised a brow and called Davies back, and he picked up. “Davies, forget what I said. Get back here---”

 _“OFFICER DOWN! COMMISSIONER, CROWE IS DOWN! NOCTURNA IS LOOSE, I REPEAT, NOCTURNA IS LOOSE---”_ He screamed, and Maggie heard bones being torn apart and blood siphoned out of skin.  

The call ended.

Maggie grabbed her radio and bolted out of her office. “Officers down! I repeat, Officers down in Blackgate Penitentiary!” She yelled, kicking Montoya’s desk and jolting her awake. “You’re with me,” she said, yanking Montoya up to standing. “Suspect Natalia Mitternacht, alias Nocturna, has escaped solitary---”

“ _This is Warden Zorbatos! GenPop, SuperMax and Solitary wings have all been compromised! Somebody cut the damn hardlines! Only thing that’s left are the blast doors. Blackgate is entering full lockdown---”_ Static.

 _“_ Zorbatos? Agatha!"yelled Maggie. “All units, be prepared for a full-scale riot at Blackgate. I want Batman and two full tactical teams down there right now! Break out the blimps! I don’t want to see a single escaped inmate on my streets or swimming in the bay! We’ve dealt with these before and we can deal with it again!”

Montoya cycled through the radio channels reserved for Blackgate. Nothing but static. “They’ve gone dark.”

“Warden’s not answering her cell, either!” barked Bullock, halfway into the break room. “Think the landlines are dead, too!”

Maggie ran a hand through her hair. Who the hell was orchestrating this? Cobblepot? Falcone? No, to cut the landlines suggests extreme planning or insiders at the phone company. It wasn’t their MO, and the usual rogues were all locked up in Arkham. So, pure, self contained chaos as a distraction, where Kate just _happened_ to be.  

“It’s the D.E.O.” said Montoya, fighting a yawn. “I don’t know how I know, but I just do.”

“I think you’re right,” said Maggie, grabbing her arm and dragging her down to the armory. “New director called. Wanted to distance themselves from this; keeping the bureau out of it as a show of good faith.”

“Which gives them total control over the situation.” Montoya’s eyes widened. “They---wait, this has nothing to do with Nocturna. She’s not the cause. She’s a wild card. This is a _contingency!_ ”

Maggie stopped in the middle of the stairs, pulling them off to the side. “Explain.”

“If you wanted to expose a Bat, how would you do it?”

“I tried to expose _Superman,_ and the only thing I learned was that it wasn’t going to happen.” She pinched her brow. “Or wait until Lois Lane did it _for_ me…”

“Commissioner, you’re not seeing the bigger picture here. I read through _all_ of those files; this wasn’t the D.E.O.’s first attempt at nailing the Bats. Batwoman worked for them, and they cut her loose, scot free. Why would they do that if they were on _another_ crusade against masked vigilantes?”

Maggie furrowed her brow. “Because if _they_ revealed who she was, they’d dig up things they don’t want coming to light. Things they’ve covered up.”

Montoya nodded. “Right, exactly, so instead of blowing themselves to hell, they set a trap. One that can lay dormant for years, maybe even decades at a time. Maybe it wasn’t even set for her, specifically. All they have to do is _wait_ for one of them to make one little slip. One tiny mistake that lands them in court.”

“That...oh my God.” And then it clicked. She rested a hand on her temple. “Grease the wheels so that the case moves faster than anyone can hope to defend against, while the prosecution has evidence dropped in their lap just by the accusation _existing._ No hope for bail, and they get sent to Blackgate for holding…”

“...then they cause a riot so catastrophic that the suspect is _forced_ to do something, anything, that implicates them in being a masked vigilante. Because they can’t just sit back and watch twelve hundred inmates, and maybe a dozen super criminals, slaughter each other and the guards trapped with them.”

Maggie turned and ran down the stairs, towards the armory once again. “She’ll fall into it. I know she will. Even if Nocturna _wasn’t_ a factor---”

Montoya followed her. “She can’t stop herself.”

Maggie barged in through the security door, weaving around the controlled chaos as SWAT tore their gear off the racks, team leaders barking orders and squad assignments. “If she can’t, then _you_ will. And if it’s too late, you play messenger. You make sure she gets out alive.”

Montoya raised a brow. “Wait, what are you---”

“Lieutenant Simmons!” roared Maggie, over the deafening din. “Montoya’s your number three!” She tossed her a vest and uniform. “You’re off the taskforce tonight. Boots on the ground, Renee.”

Montoya took a deep breath and nodded. “Boots on the ground.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm wondering if you folks caught on to either Nocturna not actually being neutralized (she's fully healed during interrogation in Chapter 2) or the D.E.O. having their hand in this in some way. Still, the two-part Prison Riot is extremely fun and bloody, so that's where the M-rating comes from, mostly. Really excited for you guys to read it! Oh, and the covers I made for #5, 6 and 7 are SLICK AS HELL. Especially #6. 
> 
> Okay, so, [Abigail Lincoln-Gray was a character from _Crime Bible: Five Books of Blood_](http://imgur.com/a/mKcBQ) She bears an almost identical resemblance to Kate, is a higher-up in the Religion of Crime, has blonde hair in the same style of Kate's 'classic' look, and uses a ceremonial blade that looks strikingly similar to the one used to stab Kate in the chest AND the kind Red Alice uses in _Elegy_. She has blue eyes instead of green, but artists mix those two up like literally all the time. Like, Babs has blue eyes but half the time she's colored with green. The reverse often happens with Jacob Kane. [Kate even shows up in that same mini-series, in the first appearance of her 'modernized' design.](http://imgur.com/a/m5s0J) Who does she look like? Abigail Lincoln-Gray. So it's...part of my own personal theory of how Beth got to where she was in _Elegy_ , which this story doesn't get into very much, as that's a tale that necessitates its own 'thing' to be told. But it's not something I just made up out of nowhere, is what I'm saying. Additionally, the publication dates of _Crime Bible_ and _Elegy_ are in the same damn year (early 2009, then 2009-2010, if you include _Go_ and _Cutter_ ) so yeah. 
> 
> No such thing as a coincidence :P
> 
> LADY SHIVA! :D That's---in case you couldn't guess who "Sandra" was. It's Sandra Woosan. Lady Shiva. Oh my God she's so much fun to write. Because, y'know, she could fucking curbstomp anyone if she wanted to. And knows Bruce Wayne is Batman, but so does Kate, so Kate jumping to Bette when she mentions cousin is unintentionally hysterical. So yeah, with Lady Shiva should come quite a few hints on who else is gonna be showing up... :D
> 
> Kate reuniting with her family was absolutely painful to write. It had to be this balance of heartwarming, surgical, and just...sad. Because Kate is still that deep in denial to the point that she actually repeats the justification, nearly word for word, that Nocturna used to gaslight her in Batwoman #40. Also it was a great chance to clear up how Beth showing up made zero sense near the end of the solo book, even if she was the one awesome part of that.
> 
> Kate's apartment is a mix of her old _Elegy_ one (the open lofty-ish penthouse) and somewith a bit more...walls. Since according to Andreyko's parade of artists, the Kane building was rebuilt, including the giant tree, and she moved back in. And she got her operational heart back. Somehow. I mean I'm not complaining because that was the COOLEST THING so if she still has it (she seems to in Tec Comics atm) I'm A-OKAY with that. Her secondary base---well, that shows up. That's fun. Anyway, the fun nods and references in Kate's closet aren't all entirely clear. The hebrew certificate is her Bat Mitzvah certificate. Jewish girls typically perform the ceremony when they're twelve, so...imagine how depressing THAT must've been. Because she lost her mom and sister on her twelfth birthday, and was probably already preparing her torah portion with Beth! The West Point degree isn't official; I figure her father pulled some strings to get that for her, even if it's unsigned. 
> 
> Also, the Ingrid Pitt connection? Not made up, and all Andreyko. It's...actually really clever. Look her up.
> 
> I REALLY hope we get a story in Tec Comics (today's was dope!) about Kate grappling with the idea of re-enlisting now that she's able to (if you were discharged over DADT, you have to reapply, and be re-trained, but your record is 'wiped clean' basically) since Williams and Blackman never had the chance. I mean we know she won't do that (she can arguably do so much more good in the place she is now, and depending on how this whole Colony business pans out, she may not even want to) but it's important to acknowledge and explore that. Though it's odd that Jacob seems to believe that the Army wouldn't let her back in now that DADT isn't an issue. Not when he initially trained her, obviously the law wasn't repealed at the time, but like, at the present. Maybe they'd ask too many questions as to how the fuck she knows how to do 99% of the shit she can do? That's a pretty legit concern, I guess. Welp, we'll have to see how _Rise of the Batmen_ goes. As long as Jacob doesn't die I think I'll probably be happy with what happens.
> 
> Comments? Thoughts? Reactions? Kinda wondering if anyone but a few actually read these notes...?
> 
>  
> 
> **NEXT TIME: PUSSY RIOT**


	5. Pussy Riot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate did not plan for a full-scale riot at Blackgate. She did not plan for Nocturna to be the one to instigate it. She did not plan to perform acts of heroism while awaiting trial. She did not plan to use herself as bait, so that others could live.
> 
> The biggest thing Kate didn't plan for?
> 
> [](http://imgur.com/YV9WoTD)   
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://imgur.com/i2fPtcN)   
> 

Kate watched a legion of prison guards storm past her cell under the blaring red emergency klaxons, decked in full riot gear.  They screamed orders at one another, some to stay back, others to move forward, and some of it just...didn’t connect.  Which didn’t---wait.  No, that wasn’t right.

She _knew_ the SOP for a Blackgate riot. Why wasn’t she worried? Or scared? She had no equipment or reasonable justification to defend herself, so normally she should be at the very least concerned. Nervous. Careful, wary, all of those important non-sociopathic adjectives.

“You do not appear phased,” said Sandra, stepping up beside her to watch the chaos. “I know you have not numbed yourself to fear, so perhaps there is some... _other_ force at work?”

Kate dug her fingernails into the concrete wall and grunted, struggling to feel _something._ It was Nocturna. It had to be. It had to be why she just didn’t see the point of getting so worked up about---Kate tried to smash her head against the wall, only to be stopped by Sandra’s palm just before impact.

Sandra turned Kate’s head to face her. “That isn’t necessary. Pledge that you will slay the beast, and I will remove the threat she poses to your mind.”

Kate opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t form words. It just wasn’t worth the effort. Really, what was the point? It was what she wanted, so why bother resisting one’s truest desires? Even the screams echoing throughout the prison didn’t seem to phase her. After all, she didn’t know them. They must not have been worth knowing if they had died like livestock.

She sat down on her bed and stared at the wall, content to wait.

Sandra glared down at her. “This is sickening to watch. To be so strong, and yet so _powerless_ against an evil so ancient it may as well be obsolete.” She sighed. “I’ll have to take a page out of _her_ book and take your lack of resistance as consent, even if I want to vomit after speaking that sentence aloud.” She cracked her knuckles. “But there is no honor in leaving you like this. I would not be able to live with myself. Lesson number one, Batwoman. A psychic can numb a great many parts of the mind, but they are often unable to touch the traumatic.” She closed her hands around Kate’s throat. “Even if _they_ were the initial cause.”

Kate felt her heart rate skyrocket, totally at odds with the calm, almost baiting tempo of Sandra’s pulse that battered against her neck. Sweat flowed down her head and neck and everywhere else, going from droplets to flop in moments. Her breathing became haggard and choked, even though Sandra’s hands weren’t harming her.  They were just there.

Around her neck.

_Around her fucking neck._

Kate blinked and tore her arms away from her neck. “Don’t touch me!” she screamed, struggling to catch her breath as tears welled in her eyes. Fear. Anger. Guilt. Desire. Rage. Confusion. Relief. All of it slammed into her like a tidal wave, nearly overwhelming her completely. She doubled over and wiped away her sweat, slowing her heart and breath. “What---what the _fuck_ was that?!” she said, shivering.  “What did you just do to me?!”

“I rescued your mind, Batwoman. Take care not to squander this gift.”

The cell door swung open, along with everyone else’s, and inmates came swarming out of their rooms, dispersing in every direction in what would almost certainly end up being a bloody rampage, tear gas canisters popping down the hall. She could smell them.

Remember the rush. Remember the _chase._ Thirty-six miles, lungs on fire, and six broken ribs. Remember how a little bit of tear gas is _nothing_.

Yet, still, she could feel Nocturna. She could _feel_ her presence, even away from her clutches. It was gnawing at her spine, desperate to consume her but unable to find a passage.  She pulled at her hair and forced herself to her feet, her legs wobbling.  

Soldier on, Kate. _Soldier on, dammit!_

Kate heard a loud snap and watched as a prison guard, her head completely turned around, collapsed dead into her cell. She looked up at Sandra, who only smiled. “Why? She was just doing her job!”

“Yes, and in her dying breath she’s given you a chance at survival.” Sandra stepped out of the cell. “I must go complete my duties, Batwoman, but rest assured that I _am_ watching you.”

And then she vanished into the...tear gas.  Somehow.  

Kate commandeered the gas mask off of the dead guard and slipped it on, ensuring the filter was in place. And, in record time, stripped the woman down and donned her uniform. Nocturna was the loose, she could _feel_ it. The guards wouldn’t be able to take her down, and Bat-Robot wouldn’t either. So, it was up to her---

She fell backwards on to the bed as an explosion above her knocked her off of her already tenuous balance. A scream, louder than possible and clearly inhuman, broke out, so powerful she could _see_ the sound waves dissipating the gas. Kate scrambled to her feet, grabbing the woman’s AR-15 and pulled back the charging handle.

“...block looks deserted. Know which cell she’s in? She could have already booked it.”

“She wouldn’t do that, Dinah. Not with so much on the line.”

Voices. Most likely hallucinating again; another remnant of Nocturna’s control. Or maybe something new. More powerful.  She shouldered her rifle and timed the footsteps.  Five sets. Three adults. She stuck to the frame of her cell, keeping her breath silent. Waiting.

“Look, she’s _a lot_ of things, but selfish has never been one of them,” said a third voice, which sounded...sounded _so_ much like Bette. But it couldn’t be Bette. Bette was safe. At home with her father and sister. And Catherine. Five. Five of them. Spaced evenly apart; implies formation and rudimentary combat training. Sloppy squad tactics, though.  

Aim for the legs and sweep left. No killshots.

Kate pivoted out of cover and came rifle barrel to glowing taser cannon with--- “ _Bluebird?!”_

“Hey, I found her!” Bluebird didn’t flinch, but just stared up at her at awe. “Holy crap, you’re even more badass _out_ of the suit!”

“Blackgate’s A/V is offline, Kate, so we’re free to talk,” said Batgirl. “Please, you’re not in any danger from us,” she said, putting up her palms in a placating manner. “Just put the gun down and talk to us, okay?”

“I---” Kate’s eyes snapped to the other three and lowered her rifle. Black Canary, Spoiler and...Hawkfire. Damnit, Bette. “What the hell are you people _doing_ here?! Do you have any idea the danger you’re in?!”

“Wow, we _so_ don’t have time for this.” Black Canary rolled her eyes and _screamed_ at her, knocking her back into the cell and snatching her rifle out of her hands. “We’re here for you, we _know_ who got loose, and frankly, danger? Really? I faced down _Atlantis._ This is nothing.”

“That’s---ugh, fair.” Kate tore off of her gasmask and grunted to her feet, once again suppressing the further abuse to her ribs. “I’ll be fine. Go.” She took several deep breaths. “Contain the riot. Try not to get caught by Batbot. And I didn’t kill that guard. My cellmate Sandra did. She doesn't have a face, so that should make her easy to spot.”

“We...didn’t think you did?” said Spoiler, idly spinning her staff. “I mean, I am _now,_ but only ‘cause you brought it up. Especially the part about the not-having-a-face thing.”

“She _didn’t_ kill her. End of story.” Bette frowned. “And we’re not just going to leave you here to get _taken_ again,” said Bette, practically dragging her out of the cell.  “I won’t let that monster touch you. _Ever._ ”

“The GCPD, with their Batman, is fully capable of containing the riot. Our priority is to ensure your safety until they do,” said Batgirl.

“It would just _really suck_ if you died. Or got thrown in jail,” added Bluebird, chuckling anxiously. “Plus, there’s that whole ‘we lose you we lose the city’ thing going around. Not sure if that’s true or not.”

Kate rubbed her temples.  “...and you brought teenagers to fight some kind of super vampire? Why would you---” She looked to Bluebird, who just kept grinning. Damnit. Lead by example. She furrowed her brow and looked down at the guard. Same size, which was probably purposeful, thanks to Sandra being so damn cryptic. “Okay. Who’s in charge here?”

The five of them just sort of looked between Batgirl and Canary, clearly unsure as to the answer of that question. Predictable.

“Wow. Fine. Guess it’s me, then.”

“That’s not typically how rescue ops work,” said Canary. “And you don’t even have your gear.”

Kate smirked and that small boost of confidence jumpstarted the part of her brain that she _really_ didn’t use as often she should. The tactical side. Plans, contingencies, leadership. All racing faster and faster towards a singular goal. Stop Nocturna. Stop the riot. “Don’t need it. Ex-military.”

“Uh-huh.” Canary put a hand on her hip. “So am I.”

Kate wrapped the utility belt around her waist and clipped a few tear gas grenades to it. “But I’m guessing nothing close to the Green Berets correct?” she said, checking the spare 9mm mags before packing them in her pouches. “Enhanced grunt work, that sort of thing.”

“Grunt work? It was a little more complicated than that.” She frowned. “And hey, this is kinda big talk for somebody who never even made it into the field. Didn’t you get drummed out of West Point?”

Bette smacked her forehead.  “Oh my God.”

“You are correct.” Kate loaded the M9 and pulled back the slide with a satisfying click. “Because I’m gay.” She holstered it and snatched the AR-15 out of Canary’s hands, inspecting it and the mags she could find. Heh. _Mags._

“Oh,” said Canary, her face screwing up. “I can’t believe I forgot about that...”

“I can.” Kate shrugged and fastened the gas mask around her neck. “Besides, since you’re just standing around, pretty sure none of you planned further ahead than this moment. Thankfully, I _am._ ”

“That’s good, and all, but guns?” asked Spoiler.  “Are we not going to talk about the guns? Because I thought we sorta weren't cool with those?”

“I use guns,” said Bluebird, raising her hand.

“Those are giant lightning cannons, not _guns,_ ” said Spoiler.

“I could totally stop somebody’s heart with this thing. And restart it.”

“Don’t do that,” said Kate, Batgirl and Canary, simultaneously.

“Right,” said Spoiler. “So. Guns.”

“They’re _obviously_ for the vampire, not the inmates.” Kate sighed. “If I had wanted to go into wet work like my father did, I would’ve been a scout sniper, and I could give _Deadshot_ a run for his money,” she said, smirking again. Hyperbole, but hey, when would she get the chance to say that again? “Plus, ex-military pre-trial inmate going for a dead guard’s AR-15 to fight off a vampire with a grudge? That’s how you get on ‘Good Morning, America’, kids.  Especially when everyone knows _Batman doesn’t use guns._ ”

“Wow.” Batgirl raised her brows. “You think so much like him it’s _scary._ ”

“Maybe on the surface, but below that, we couldn’t be more disparate. The big guy’s a warrior; He never anticipated followers in his crusade. Same goes for the rest of you. You’re not even a real _team,_ as far as I can tell.” She held up her palms. “No offense intended. It’s just how you operate, and you _know_ it’s far from optimal.”

“I think you’re making _a lot_ of assumptions,” said Batgirl.

“Not an assumption. Remember Rio? When Red Hood botched my very simple directives which lead to you getting hypnotized and beating the piss out of him?” She tapped her temple, where her mask would be. “My mask is outfitted with lenses that counteract Tetch’s mind control tech. So that whole little bout, if he had _listened to me_ , never would have happened.”

“Okay! Fine, you have a point, that I---” She looked over to Canary. “ _We_ really should have considered.”

“How could you? You know what he taught you, and what you brought to the table. That lone wolf stuff might make you feel like a badass, but when you get down to it, it’s foolish when you could have a team at your back.”

“You’re not really known for your teamwork either, you know,” added Bette. “Also, hey, _what about the freaking prison riot?!”_

“I would also like to express my concern about that, for reasons that _totally_ aren’t personal,” said Bluebird. “Like, at all. This place sucks.”

Kate gave Bluebird a look before refocusing. “Well, we can’t do much until the tear gas dissipates a little more across the prison,” she said, checking the guard’s radio. Static. Every channel. “Judging by standard lockdown SOP for Blackgate, which may no longer exist since we’re not hearing _anything_ from the radios all over the ground. Or the P.A. system. And, of course, taking into account GCPD’s response time and _their_ SOP, we’ve got around two minutes before it’s safe to move without masks. Which you guys don’t have, for some reason.”

“Wait, really? I thought this was some crazy informative _tangent_ ,” said Spoiler. “Wow.”

“We don’t need to wait,” said Canary. “I can just scream it out the windows.”

“No, Kate’s right,” said Batgirl. “We’re going to need that for crowd control. And you should really try to limit those...” She gestured to the cracked support pillars. “The structural integrity of this place isn’t so great.”

“Still not a teamplayer!” said Bette, waving her arms.

“I know, _Hawkfire,_ ” said Kate, poking her in the mask. “It is a reputation I am actively trying to correct. Starting…” Three, two, one. “Now. Bluebird, Hawkfire, you’re with me. Stay on my ass. You see movement, you shoot. Don’t hesitate. Canary, Batgirl, Spoiler, you’re on riot duty.  Nocturna’s goal is to _reacquire_ her property, specifically me, not kill capes. As far as I know, she can only assert her influence over one person at a time, and this boost in strength probably won’t change that.” She rolled out her shoulders. “However, she’ll tear your psyche apart if you give her an opening. If you feel something is wrong, no matter how small, you need to break her concentration or you’re done until someone else does. Hitting her hard enough to kill a normal person will do the trick, so will explosives and that canary cry.”

“And what if she _does_ get in our heads?” asked Bluebird, her eyes somehow wide behind the mask. “I’m not the biggest fan of mind games, and I really don’t think that’s going to change.”

Kate rested her hand on Bluebird’s shoulder with a sad smile. “Unfortunately, as my former cellmate pointed out rather explicitly, you’re going to have to think of something _extremely_ traumatic. Something that affected you so deeply that you have an unconscious response to it that simply can’t be buried.” She tapped on the gas mask around her neck. “For example, if I just shut down completely, pull on the mask and it’ll snap me back.”

“A trigger for your trigger…?” asked Bluebird. “I can’t tell if that’s hardcore or terrifying.”

“Wow, _both,_ ” said Canary, turning away. “C’mon, Captain Kate, what’s the rest of the plan?”  

Kate motioned to herself, Bluebird and Bette. “We’ll draw Nocturna towards the showers and take her down there. I’ve got a trump card with mirrors. If the rest of you somehow manage to contain the rioting, exfiltrate, do _not_ come back for me. People will buy that one of the junior bats and former titan were assigned guard duty when you’re aware of the HVT, but not that the entire _team_ did so for a woman on trial for being the Batwoman. Assuming they _do_ manage to recognize me.” She bit her lip. “But it’s not quite that simple.”

“Never is,” sighed Batgirl.

“I _know,_ right?” said Spoiler.

Kate pointed back towards the showers.  “We can’t go that direction and move through the men’s section of the prison. It’s almost a straight shot to the main gate, and the GCPD will be _swarming_ through that cell block any second now, but we’ve still got a considerable lead on them since they’ll be dealing with the inmates who fled that way. Basically, if we back up, Nocturna will tear everyone to shreds.” She turned back towards the heart of the prison. “So...we’re going to need to fight our way through the rest of Female GenPop, and the SuperMax wing, including Solitary, to loop back around, and somehow evade RoboBats.”

“What crazy person _designed_ this place?” asked Bluebird.

“It wasn’t originally meant to house both men and women, or anywhere near a quarter of the prisoners in here, so that’s part of it,” said Batgirl. “They’ve been trying to get this place brought up to code since the _70s,_ and the fact that my old access points into their closed network still work is a double edged sword---”

“History lessons later!” Kate whistled, regaining their attention. “We’ll make a mad dash to the checkpoint, and then split up there. It’s the only way to keep Nocturna contained and focused on me, while still giving you guys a chance to minimize casualties. She’s consolidating her power right now, so we have a _little_ wiggle room, but not enough to make it to the checkpoint before she starts hunting me.”

“And if we go through the yard, we’d make it way harder to contain the riot,” said Spoiler.

“More that we’ll get picked off by sharpshooters along the walls, but yes, that’s the basic idea. And Bluebird…” She tightened the her rifle strap and extended her hand down to Bluebird. “I’ll need to borrow one of your fancy tasers.”

“Oh _hell_ yes.” Bluebird tossed the smaller one to her. About the size of Desert Eagle. “That has around a fifty shots before it’s drained, but I’ve got a spare battery.”  

Kate tested the weight and sighted it. On par with manufacturing standards. Impressive. She pivoted and fired off a trio of test shots, planting a burst of electricity in the center of three terrified inmate’s chests just as they rounded the corner. “Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.” She cocked her head towards their destination.  “Let’s get moving, and keep your heads on a swivel. Make your strikes efficient, because we _cannot_ afford to slow down. Canary, you’re on point.”

“Yes, ma’am!” said Canary, dripping with sarcasm. She took off into a sprint, with the rest of them following close behind. They didn’t get very far before running into a blast door, the sounds of bloody chaos barely muffled by the solid steel. The little viewport didn’t help, either. Hundreds of convicts at the necks of mere dozens of guards, almost completely overwhelmed.  

Batgirl checked the control panel.  “Busted, but I can hotwire the door.”

“Do it,” said Kate. “When it opens, Canary, I want a wide-radius cry. Knock _everyone_ off balance. Stick to your teams; I’ll take left, Batgirl will take the right, and _remember your verticality_.” She secured her gasmask to her face and brandished her stun baton. “Batgirl?”

“Ready.”

“Go, then seal it behind you.”

Kate grinned from behind her mask. Time to go to work.

 

* * *

 

Maggie shielded her eyes from the automatic searchlights outside of Blackgate and approached the Mobile Command Center. The main entrance was completely locked down. Hermetically sealed blast door. News and police helicopters circled the prison, with GCPD blimps establishing a large perimeter, the giant Bat-Blimp dead center above the island.

Blackgate was often described as a necessary hell. Enormous pillars of concrete and fire fashioned over an island of the bay that was nowhere near big enough. Underfunded to an inhumane degree, it wasn't surprising that it became what it is. Near constant rioting, the correctional officers always understaffed, and nearly everyone who spent time in that forgotten circle of hell became more savage than human.

And yet, the prison still stood. No matter how many times it burned, it remained. Just like Arkham.

Just like Gotham.

Both a proving ground, and a crucible. Foster the strong, weed out the weak.

Jim stepped outside of the retrofitted semi, his cowl up. “Commissioner Sawyer. Good of you to join us ‘in the trenches’.”

“Batman,” Maggie snorted. “Knew that’d come back to bite me.”

“Things often do,” he jabbed his thumb back towards the blast door. “Override codes aren’t working. What’s more, though, is that it’s not just the CCTV cameras that are offline. Damn near everything is, or will be soon if we don’t fix this. Emergency power won’t last forever.” He sighed. “Zorbatos wasn’t pulling our leg. This is coordinated.”

Maggie crossed her arms. “Timing’s too good.”

“No coincidences.” He frowned.

“Or even a hebrew word for them,” she said, completely automatically.

“True, but I’m not ready to buy into Montoya’s D.E.O. conspiracy theory just yet.”

“Not like we could prove it, anyway.” Maggie huffed. “Think somebody paid off the security chief? The warden, maybe?”

“Knowing Agatha, it’s possible. Good cover story, too. Only way to find out is to get that gate open.”

“ _Bypassing security is a no-go. Re-routing electrical,”_ cracked their radios.

_“Acknowledged, Team One.”_

Maggie unfolded her binoculars and looked down at the door, watching the insertion team get into position. “Radio traffic from the prison guards?”

“We had a few bits and pieces get through the jamming; well, the techs _think_ it’s jamming. Panic, and then very little else.”

“What’s the else?”

“Static.”

_“Door’s prepped. On your go.”_

_“Go.”_

The red lighting above the blast doors cut out and it slid open, allowing the team to charge inside. Maggie zoomed in and furrowed her brow. Movement. Orange. Tear gas canisters popped through the interior gateway, and around a hundred or so inmates, came stumbling out of hiding, choking their lungs out as they tried to cross the bridge; basically collapsing into handcuffs and restraints.  

“ _Front gate is clear. Moving to control center.”_

Maggie scratched her forehead and kept her eyes on the progressing situation, past the SWAT vans and the barricades, watching the insertion team as they moved out of sight.  She swept her binoculars over the recaptured convicts, in the process of being neatly arranged in a line by other officers. None of them were Kate. Which made sense.

She wouldn’t try to escape. But she wouldn’t be able to stay in her cell, either. Not with a riot that big. So, she’d have to move further into the prison. Or stand her ground and fight off wave after wave of rioters, but that would be pretty damning stuff.

Hell, maybe she just got lucky and found a place to hide.

Maybe.

“...any particular reason you’re not in the suit right now, Jim?”

“They almost certainly have hostages, Maggie. And I still have to operate inside the law, so breaking that protocol wouldn’t be a great idea.”

Maggie gave him a look. “Wow. I can’t even imagine how frustrating that must feel.”

“Let’s just say I’m _really_ itching to get in there and do something.”

“You just want to use those fancy boosters again and fly around like a fighter jet, don’t you?”

Jim huffed. “I’d be lying if I said no.”

 

* * *

 

Renee’s boots pounded into the concrete floor as she ran in formation, keeping pace with the insertion team. It had been a while since she’d subbed in for SWAT, but thankfully it had all come back to her. It needed to. After all, Gordon and Sawyer needed the _right_ boots on the ground.

They rounded the corner towards the central command center, rifles sweeping every angle as the emergency lighting flashed over her visor. Still no radio traffic from the warden or the security chief. Or anyone using Blackgate’s channels.

She lined up in third position in front of the command center doors, large and reinforced, but not nearly as much as the others. The windows were shuttered closed, but that was just procedure. Procedure. All of it was procedure.

Which was... _strange_ , for a reason she couldn’t quite recall.

Pat on her back, pat on the back of the officer in front of her, and so on. Point unlocked the door with a bit of rewiring and the mechanism uncoupled with a loud clunk.

 _“Not one step closer! Open these doors and you’re going to regret it, sir! Or ma’am!”_ screamed a terrified woman through a megaphone. “ _I have hostages! The entire security staff! And---and I have demands!”_

Renee’s eyes flicked up to the security camera. Offline. Perp must be _right_ on the other side of the door to have _heard_ it unlock. Megaphone, not the P.A. system, confirms it. There was something else, though. What was wrong with the picture?

The team leader gestured for them to hold, but not fall back?

 _“Montoya’s your number three, Lieutenant,”_ said Commissioner Sawyer. “ _Certified in hostage negotiation, and every second we slow down is a casualty. Pull back your team; let her do her job.”_

“Son of a…” Renee huffed and tore off her helmet, handing it to her team leader. They all gave her a pat on the shoulder as they retreated, and she took a deep breath. Okay. Boots on the ground. Boots on the ground. Renee tapped her earpiece.

 _“Clear signal, Montoya,”_ said Sawyer. _“We’ve got your back.”_

Renee furrowed her brow as she slowly approached the door. No mention of killing hostages. “Bring up a duty roster of the command center staff.” She knocked on the door.  “Miss? My name is Renee Montoya! Can I ask for yours?”

_“Ja---Janine Shaw! Don’t come in here! I don’t...oh God, please, don’t make me do this. I have demands! A lot of demands! Nobody has to get hurt! I don’t want to get hurt.”_

_“Janine Shaw,”_ said Sawyer. “ _Recent transfer from Metropolis, and yes, on duty. Psych and medical?”_

“Please,” whispered Renee. “Okay! I don’t want anyone to get hurt either, least of all you, Janine! So, what is it that you want? I can only help you if you tell me what you want,” she said, projecting her voice through the door.

“ _Fi--fifteen million! Fifteen million euros in bearer bonds!”_

“ _Medical and psych are clean. Stutter isn’t on any chart,”_ said Sawyer. “ _High marksmanship scores. So maybe duck.”_

“Alright! Fifteen million euros in bearer bonds! I’m sending that up the wire right now!” Renee wiped the sweat from her brow. Stutter could just be induced by fear. But, again, no mention of consequences if demands aren’t met. That was procedure, on both sides of the table. If there weren’t any stakes… “Janine, can I ask you another question?”

 _“I...I think so. Maybe. I don’t know, just...just please get the money,”_ she said, her voice cracking. “ _Please don’t kill me.”_

“What happens if you don’t get the money, Janine? My boss wants to know that you’re serious!”

 _“What the hell do you_ think _is going to happen, Montoya?!”_ barked Sawyer. “ _She’ll kill her hostages!”_

“We don’t know that. Never asked that question,” whispered Renee.

 _“I’ll...I’ll kill myself!”_ said Janine.

“ _No history of suicidal tendencies, or mental illness. On either side of her family,”_ said Sawyer. “ _Oh my God, Renee,_ don’t.“

“I need to ask another question, Janine!” said Renee, steeling herself. Determine weapon. Worst-case scenario would be a .38 or a .44. “Where is the revolver pointed right now?”

 _“It’s not a revolver, it’s a semi-automatic! And at---at my head…I d-don’t want to die. But I have to. I_ have _to!”_

“ _Don’t do this, Renee! You can’t bank on this!”_

“With all due respect, Commissioner, yes, I absolutely can.” Renee licked the inside of her lips. Test for leeway in hypnosis. “Janine, you don’t have to die. You can put the gun down.”

_“No, I...I can’t. You don’t understand! I can’t put the gun down because if I put the gun down you’ll kill me!”_

“I’m not going to hurt you. _No one_ is going to hurt you, Janine. I promise.” Renee furrowed her brow. Need to find a technicality. Semantics. “Can we try a compromise, Janine? Can you _move_ the gun?”

_“I...yes. I can move the gun. But I have to keep it to my head. If I don’t, I’m going to die.”_

Renee brought up her mental map of the command center. Dozen ways to play it. “Not even at the door right in front of you? Across from the security gate?”

_“What? I’m not near the security gate, I’m by the big table and---No! Don’t come in! Please, don’t come in without the money…”_

_“Renee, this is completely insane, you can’t---”_ yelled Sawyer. “ _Just do it smart!”_

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Renee rested her palm on the door and took a deep breath, praying silently for her analysis to be right. “Alright. I have the money, Janine. If I come in now, will you die?”

 _“If you have the money I don’t have to die. Please. Please have the money.”_   

 _“...she doesn’t know what bearer bonds are,”_ said Sawyer.

“Okay. I’m opening the door.” Renee creaked it open and slipped inside, holding her palms up. Janine was standing right across from her, bloody, bruised and crying with her duty weapon aimed at her own temple. The command center itself was half smashed and nearly a dozen uniforms were bound and gagged around it. CCTV cameras were static. “See? You’re alright.”

“Toss the money over to me,” said Janine, her frazzled blonde hair caked in dirt and grime. “D-do it. Now.” She held out her hand.

Renee reached into her back pocket and whipped her wallet straight into Janine’s face, stumbling her backwards. Seizing the opportunity, Renee vaulted over the desk, wrenched the pistol out of her hands, and pulled back the slide.

Empty.

“We’re clear.” She ejected the mag and found it dry as well. “Gun wasn’t loaded,” said Renee, unable to stop herself from smiling. She helped Janine to her feet. “Are you okay?”

“I’m…” Janine dried her eyes and hugged herself. “I don’t know. I don’t know why I did this. I think Gotham got to me a lot quicker than they said it would.”

 _“Hypnosis. You were right. She wasn’t suicidal. Natalia used her as a delaying tactic,”_ said Sawyer. _“Teams One and Two, advance to the command center and get those doors open, double time! Batman, find a way inside and make your way through the Male Wing!”_

Renee pocketed her wallet and sat Janine down. “It’s not your fault, Janine.” She knelt down to eye level.  “I _am_ curious why you were able to be swayed into beating up your coworkers, but the point of the matter here is that you were a puppet in someone else’s show.”

“...what? I didn’t hurt them! The inmates did that; I---I just tied them up!”

Renee raised a brow. “That does make more sense.”

“I don’t even know what’s going on anymore.”

Renee sighed. “Vampire hypnotized you, but she couldn’t make you do something you couldn’t be coerced into doing under normal circumstances.”

Janine stared up at her with unblinking eyes. “I don’t want to live in this city anymore.”

 

* * *

 

As soon as the blast door split open, Kate’s muscle memory took over. Second blast door at the other side of the pit; four floors of rioting, guards pinned down at every vantage point in full gear. Red klaxons blaring, spinning, bathing them in a muted warning. She could sense Nocturna’s presence grow at the edges of her perception.

Baiting her like cattle.

Canary’s cry rang out throughout the entire cellblock, knocking the weaker rioters, and guards, off of their feet and forcing the rest to double over and cover their ears.  She, Batgirl and Spoiler took the left side, leaping over the barricades and immediately turning the tide, vaulting between vertical levels with perfect poise and ferocity.

Kate flowed like water, unleashing the anger and frustration she’d been bottling up the entire damn day. She fired as fast as the taser-gun would allow, downing convicts long before they ever got close to her, their bodies crumbling to the floor, while she pummeled those who’d gotten close into the wall, splattering blood and teeth, sprinting toward the other side of the room and using her momentum to smash her baton, knees, elbows and fists into anyone stupid enough to get in her way. But nothing _too_ fancy, just to be safe.

All of her shots connected, and she didn’t miss a beat.  

She kept her eye on Bluebird, fully confident that Bette could handle herself, if the flames and screams coming from the floor above were any indication, and was pleasantly surprised to see that she didn’t really need that much help. She was sloppy, sure, leaving too many openings while dodging and relying too heavily on her taser, but for the moment, she’d make due.  Especially since half the creeps she shocked with that giant cannon were thrown backward a few dozen feet.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kate spotted a downed convict struggle to her feet and grab a discarded shotgun, training it to Spoiler’s back, who was busy busting jaw after jaw with that metal pole. Kate spun and threw her stun baton like a javelin across the pit, striking the woman in the head, cracking her skull, and knocking her back down with a surge of electricity.

“Watch your damn six!” she yelled, smashing a cell door into another chump and throwing him like a battering ram into another advancing four, bowling them over. Kate rushed forward and made it to the other end of the cell block, slamming a few stragglers’ heads into the metal guard rail along the way.  

Bette landed beside her, giving her a jab in the arm. “Miss the grapnel?”

“God, you have _no_ idea.” Kate furrowed her brow and checked behind them, noting that the guards were pre-occupied with securing the prisoners to give her team the time of day. Or, more likely, they weren't going to waste the energy in trying to stop them from helping. “Give me your phone.”

Bette handed it to her as the rest of them joined them at the door. “Calling for backup?”

“In a manner of speaking. Batgirl, get the door.” Kate dialed the landline number for her FOB, which thankfully went _straight_ to voicemail. “Activation code belfry-aru-thyro. Encore Contingency.” She ended the call and returned the phone.

Thank God the D.E.O. never asked for their stuff back---

Wait. No radio chatter. No communication of any kind. Simultaneous rioting in _every_ part of the prison. Everything compromised except for the blast doors. None of the phones were ringing. Kate picked up the receiver of one nearby and didn’t hear a dial tone.

That was a _landline._

Riot was a trap. The _case_ was a trap. Probably. But it didn’t matter. Trap or not, she wasn’t going to hide when people were getting slaughtered---

The second blast door split open, and just before Kate chewed Batgirl out for doing something so reckless without informing the team, she caught sight of _why_ she’d done that.

The entire third cellblock was _drenched_ in blood and dry corpses, inmates and guards alike. Some eviscerated, others simply drained. The door at the other end was sparking, flames licking at the outer edges, with deep claw marks scattered across every surface she could see. Fractured concrete, mangled steel and piles of spent ammunition littered the ground.

Kate fought the urge to sweat and panic, choosing to remember the weeks she’d spent in that basement in Prague, _studying_ webcam footage of serial killers torturing and killing their victims in ways that were _beyond_ inhuman. Remember the bones, the muted quadriplegics kept alive for the sole purpose of feeling pain. Remember how _they_ were cursed with undying agony, and that the dead in front of her were granted a mercifully quick death.

“Oh my God,” said Canary, slowly stepping into the next block with the rest of them, her eyes widening like saucers. “She’s not just on a rampage. She’s _gorging_ herself. I...” She rested her hand on her forehead. “I need a moment.”

“Yeah. Me too,” said Batgirl, sealing the door behind them.

Bluebird vomited over the side of the pit, and Kate squeezed her shoulder. Spoiler was just... _pale._ She looked around, her eyes glazed over, and took a deep breath, color returning to her features. Whatever that kid was made of, it was _hard_ stuff.

“I don’t---” Bette shook out her head and stared at her feet, which she seemed to rethink, and then turned to the ceiling. “How is there _always_ body horror with you?!”

Kate snorted and shrugged. “I wish I knew.”

Spoiler sighed. “Okay. Moving on from what will _absolutely_ be filling my nightmares for the next five forevers: almost everything metal in here is torn to shreds, which means our big bad vampire can just...slice through it. Which is bad.”

Bluebird swallowed and shrugged Kate off. Putting on a brave facade just to impress her. They’d have to talk after all of this was over. “So, why didn’t she do that to the blast doors? You’d think after _this_ she’d still keep heading back the way we came. Unless she doesn’t care anymore, which would be _great._ ”

“Afraid not. The big doors are hermetically sealed,” said Batgirl. “Totally different design than the ones they use for solitary cells and everything else. Almost entirely mechanical; those access panels are just fancy levers. They’re for lockdowns and riots. Containment on a large scale, not singular.” She jabbed her thumb back at the door, which was covered in claw marks. “Case in point…”

Kate crouched down and inspected the spent casings. Mostly rifle. Damnit. “It’s worse than that. We just jumped at least five threat levels here.” She stood. “Nocturna’s no longer _just_ a vampire. She’s an immortal who can shrug off a few hundred rounds of ammunition and tear an entire battalion to shreds without slowing down.” She started walking towards the flaming wreckage of the far blast door and motioned for them to follow.  

“...then how the hell do we beat her?” asked Spoiler. “Because I don’t think anyone of us can hit her hard enough without destroying the entire prison, apparently,” she said, eyeing Canary.

“Blame architects and poor city planning, not me!” said Canary, pointing to her chest.

“Focus.” Kate and Bette exchanged a look. “We don’t need to hit her with one _massive_ strike. We just need to hit her _a lot_ , and constantly,” said Kate. “After all, even _immortals_ bleed---”

Flames engulfed her periphery and she dove to the ground on instinct, dragging Bette and Bluebird down with her. She tossed Bluebird out of the doorway’s field of view and helped Bette to her feet, narrowly dodging another stream of flame.

“Stop wasting fuel, Firebug! What if that crazy bitch comes back?!” yelled...was that Firefly? It sounded like Firefly.

Kate looked across the doorframe and gestured to Spoiler and the fire extinguisher next to her. She picked it up and passed it down to Batgirl. Bluebird, paying close attention, found another on the floor and handed it off to Kate.

For a group of lone wolves, they adapted _fast._ Hm. Interesting.

“I’m not wasting fuel! I just saw Batgirl and a bunch of other masks!” said Firebug, apparently. Two fire villains. _With_ their equipment. Must’ve reacquired them from inventory. Probably caught Nocturna off guard while she retreated back through the cell blocks after being stopped by the blast door.

The cell block they were holding was somehow both more and _less_ gruesome. Not as many bodies, but the fires had clearly set off the sprinklers, which made the floor run red with puddles of diluted blood. But her team was focused and adapting. They’d be fine.

Hopefully.

“If you _saw_ them, then why the hell did you think it was a good idea to attack them?!” said Firefly. “We’ve got bigger problems right now _without_ dragging them into the mix!”

Kate held up five fingers and then drew her sidearm. Four, three, two, _one._ She tossed the fire extinguisher as hard as she could into the next cell block, in tandem with Batgirl, and pivoted out of cover, sighting her own and firing just as a batarang sliced into the other. The extinguishers exploded, covering the pyromaniacs with monoammonium phosphate.

“Oh, _come on_!” whined Firebug.

Kate swapped sidearms for the taser and shot Firebug in his armored face, sending him down for the count in a shivering fit. “Now, if you don’t want _your_ flame snuffed out, Garfield, you’ll tell us where the vampire is _and_ who else is loose from solitary,” she said, her team surrounding him. She gave Bluebird a subtle look, which she apparently interpreted correctly, and circled around to Firefly’s back.

Kid was _good._

Firefly laughed. “Afraid I can’t do that, hot stuff! See, that’d be a betrayal of trust and honor and all of that. You think anybody’d let me burn Gotham down again if I talked? Snowball’s chance in hell…” He flicked out his palms, and secondary flamethrowers extended out of his suit’s arms.  “JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!” And then nothing happened. “Why aren’t you all roasting on an open fire?!”

Bluebird kicked him on to his stomach and tied him up. “Because I disabled your jetpack and secondary weapons systems while you were too focused on making some _really lame_ fire puns.”

“Yeah. We’re not almonds,” said Spoiler, defiant.

“It’s chestnuts,” said Batgirl. “ _Chestnuts_ roasting on an open fire.”

“Well, whatever variety of nut!” Spoiler threw up her hands. “We’re not that! Them, whatever.”

“Hey, at least he didn’t pull ‘firecrotch’," said Canary. "Y’know, since we have two redheads."

"Says the  _screamer,_ " said Kate.

“Ah, ha. I’ve _never_ heard that one before.”

Kate leaned towards her and raised a brow. “Not from somebody who could prove it.”

Spoiler and Bluebird whooped. Good. The more they eased back into a sense of normalcy, the better their odds.

Kate chuckled. “And yes, were I not in the biggest ‘it’s complicated’ ever, I _absolutely_ would. After several wonderful nights of wining and dining and dancing and wooing, of course.”

Bette just laughed. “You’ve been holding that in since the _second_ we got here!”

Kate held up her palms. “Guilty.”

Canary blushed. “My canary cry isn’t involuntary! Anymore. So. Thank...you?”

"Hey!" Firefly cleared his throat. “Typically, this is the part where you interrogate me.”

Batgirl kicked him in the head, knocking off his helmet. “It’s called _levity,_ and it’s an important part of any team dynamic when under extreme traumatic stress, wiseguy.”

“But, since you're so interested in expediting all of this...” Bette put a hand on her hip. “...do you want to play the game of ‘how many bones can we break before they do’, or would you like to skip that part and just answer those two very simple questions?”

“Besides the vampire, right?” Firefly frowned. “Shard, the Ten-Eyed Man, Ratcatcher, Electrocutioner, me, Firebug, and…” He winced. “Bane. As for Nocturna, no idea where she is. We set her ablaze before she could gut us and ran back towards solitary.”

“Thanks.” Kate fired and knocked him out.

“Bane’s going to be a problem, even without his venom.” said Batgirl. “The rest are just B and C listers.”

“Ideally, we won’t have to fight Bane,” said Kate, patting down the unconscious Firebug. “He’s pragmatic more than anything, in my experience. Hell, he probably already escaped. And if he hasn’t, he’s trying to.”

Batgirl pinched her brow. “ _Or_ he’s going to take on Robo-Bat. He’d see that as a personal offense. ”

“Good point. So, Ten-Eyed Man. That _is_ literal, right?”

“Pretty much, why?”

“Amplified ocular damage.” Kate tossed Firebug’s flare gun to Spoiler. “This one’s on you.”

“Oh, uhm, yay for me…?” said Spoiler, catching it and spinning it like a revolver.

Kate nodded. “Everybody grab some gas masks from the...least bloody bodies. Just in case.”

They did, and Kate double-checked Bluebird’s gas mask. Secure. She looked down the shattered and bloody hallway, the emergency lighting just barely illuminating the sign post.

Now Entering Solitary Confinement.

“Anyone else find the lack of gunfire and yelling disturbing?” asked Canary.

Batgirl frowned. “I think we all do, Dinah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of Helena/Huntress; she's still a super-spy with Spyral atm :(
> 
> Found this out the other day: the first chapter name of the '87 Suicide Squad series by Ostrander is called "Trial by Blood". I know I say there aren't any coincidences, because I don't think such a thing exists, so...it's quite fitting that I chose that name. After all, without Ostrander and Yale, the character of Barbara Gordon would have died into obscurity after The Killing Joke. No Oracle, no Birds of Prey---just gone thanks to character assassination and being tossed into the garbage after being used up. Not the same scenario, obviously, but there are shades. So that's something.
> 
> The biggest irony here is that I wrote about 95% of this story BEFORE Rebirth even started (or I really knew what it was), so all of this stuff with Kate being a leader of a bunch of lone wolves, and treating things as a war rather than a crusade was something I personally wanted to see in comics, because it just so wonderfully contrasts how Bruce approaches things. Imagine how elated I was when I found out Tec Comics would LITERALLY BE DOING THAT. And, if the cover I smashed together up there at the top didn't clue you in, there's supposed to be a lot of 'back to basics' imagery here for Kate. She's got limited gear, and has to rely on the stuff she had when she first started being a vigilante, as depicted in "Go". Of course, this time, she's not alone. The years she's spent working alongside the primary Batfamily, even if she wasn't part of it, haven't gone unnoticed, even with Bruce 'gone'. And yeah, I know, Pre-Flashpoint, Dinah used to lead the Justice League, but...apparently that got kicked to the curb. The New52 Birds of Prey was just...terrible, and Dinah was a terrible leader. So there's some contradictions going on there, and ESPECIALLY with Babs not being Oracle anymore, there's difficulty in terms of a chain of command.
> 
> Of course, Kate couldn't just take control without making a case for it, and without Babs still being extremely important, so that's where I'm aiming with this. Not trying to play 'character favorites', but in a situation like this, where Flashpoint made a lot of this very unclear and muddled...it kinda does default to Kate. Plus this is before DC Universe Rebirth, so all of that 'course correction' has yet to take place. Look up what Green Berets do. It's more or less literally what Kate's doing in Tec Comics atm. 
> 
> Hopefully, I'm doing Steph justice. There's an inherent problem with Harper and Steph being on the same team for too long, as Harper was designed to serve as a replacement for both her and Cass. Obviously, that's not how things went down, which is why Harper got temporarily 'written out' of the comics after the second Eternal. So Tec Comics wouldn't have two sorta similar characters being fun, genre savvy and irreverent. Of course, considering the situation they are in, neither Steph nor Harper can really be as...upbeat without it seeming like they're ignoring everything. I wanted to give Harper a little bit more emphasis than Steph here, since I've read her as queer and that's something that Kate would pick up on and be protective of, but hopefully they both shine. 
> 
> Dinah forgetting that Kate's sexuality being the reason she'd been discharged is a larger nod to the inevitability of Americans simply 'moving past' that era where one was only a patriot if they weren't themselves (among other things), and how Kate's origin was purposefully dated for that specific reason. Not supposed to be a big moment, but a poignant one. Also, Kate using guns is so many levels of awesome for me. Not an intentional reference to "Bad Blood" (which fucked up Kate's origin because of course it did), just Kate being smart. 
> 
> Shiva's method of resisting mind control is something I completely made up, but it makes a certain level of sense. An unconscious involuntary physical reaction to a traumatic event would 'override' most concepts of hypnotism and mind control. For Kate, it's a panic attack triggered by intense stimulation of her neck and throat (mostly throat) thanks to Nocturna's repeated abuse. Of course, that's not the only way to fight the abilities of a vampire, as we've already seen...
> 
> We've seen Blackgate Riots before. They happen. They're always horrible things. But this one...I wanted to write it as a symbolic descent into hell. Not, like, conventional Christian hell or Dante's hell, but the general concept of a personal horrifying nightmare come to life. So, lots of blood, body horror (Bette has a good point, tbh), massacres, and stuck on an island with an unkillable monster that grows stronger the longer it exists. Also wanted to give Bette a lot of agency here, since she's been 'gone' for so long. I know it's implied that Lincoln March killed Cluemaster's "Loser Squad" at the end of Eternal, but we never saw the bodies :P
> 
>  
> 
> **NEXT TIME: RED STAR**


	6. Red Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Any who call Gotham their home understand that everything, the whole damn city, is just a giant sadistic crucible. It beats you up against the wall, day after day, cornering you like an animal, and forces you to make a choice. Go feral, losing yourself in the darkness, or prove that you're stronger. That you possess the unyielding will to soldier on through even the bloodiest of nights. That you can, and will, become more than you ever believed you could be. Each time Kate had been pinned against the wall, she'd turn the tables and smash Gotham through the proverbial brick at her back. That is, until Nocturna consumed one of her greatest sources of strength and identity.
> 
> Faith.
> 
> Kate Kane survived a brutal kidnapping by terrorists that left her mother dead and her twin sister lost for decades. Following in her father's footsteps, she vowed to serve her country and attended West Point until she was expelled under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Now, she is many things: Loving daughter, protective sister, proud lesbian, **devoted Jew** , brave soldier, determined hero. 
> 
> She is BATWOMAN, and she is _back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [In today's Tec Comics (#938), Gabrielle Kane's headstone at Arlington National Cemetary features a cross instead of a star of david. This has been confirmed a _mistake_ due to how quickly bi-weekly publications have to be done; I asked Tynion IV personally. This links to his twitter response.](https://twitter.com/JamesTheFourth/status/763160301969612801)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Though, it is a shame that what would have been a new reader's first introduction to the Kane family's judaism was actually super organic and quite literally showing and not telling, but didn't happen for the first publication (it'll be fixed in the trade paperback, and probably the comixology digital version long before that). Just wanted to address this beforehand, because, in case you couldn't tell by the freaking cover right below this...shit's about to get REALLY JEWISH.
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://imgur.com/ZCWtRBC)  
> 
> 
>  
> 
> See? Esoteric Jewish Mysticism!

Renee scratched the back of her head, her gloved hand getting caught on her sticky hair. She really should’ve taken that shower. Greasy in full tactical gear was just _not_ where she wanted to be.  

She looked over to the security station, which was half disassembled and crowded with techs. The CCTV cameras were all static, and they were scrambling to correct that. They wouldn’t, though. Pretty soon they’d find some sort of gadget with a bat logo on it and that would essentially be the end of it.

She hoped. Otherwise, her theory on the D.E.O. would just get more credible.

“I have no idea how many breaches in protocol you managed to make,” said Sawyer, walking up to her. “But damn if that wasn’t absurdly impressive.”

Renee shrugged. “Thanks, but I’ll write it all out in my report once we’re done here. Won’t seem as impressive.”

“We’ll see.” Sawyer snorted and gave the sealed interior blast door a sidelong glance, which they’d been unable to cut or breach. Or bypass. Yet. “Bad enough that the door’s circuitry is on the _other_ side of it, so we can’t even jury rig it open, but the whole damn security system is malfunctioning.” She frowned. “And it doesn’t look like bat-tampering to me.”

“I _hate_ being right, sometimes.”

“Yeah, well, it’s still just a conspiracy theory. Even if it makes perfect sense.” Maggie gestured over to the security officer they’d found with an unloaded gun to her head. “ _Officially_ , my first thought was our friend Miss Shaw, but that doesn’t fit. No substantial experience in programming, IT, engineering or anything like that. Blimps outside said they saw _something_ on the roof, but since _Batman_ is…” She bobbed her head from side to side. “It might actually be a bird, for once.”

“No coincidences,” said Renee.

“...or hebrew word for---” they said in unison. Renee snorted. Sawyer blushed.

“Commissioner, we’ve got CCTV back online!” announced one of the techs.  “Well, mostly.”

Renee narrowed her eyes. Either the bats were getting sloppy, which was insanely unlikely, or they were turned _back on_. Damnit.

Maggie walked over to the monitoring station and rested her hand on the top of the armchair. “Mostly?”

“It’s super grainy, we’re not getting any audio, and most of the cameras are dead, but a few aren’t...” he said, cycling through the cameras. Empty cell block, a few bodies, the warden stuck in her office, a cell block under control, communal area in total chaos, a cell block filled with drained corpses--- “Mother of God.”

Renee’s eyes widened. “Can we get that door open a little _faster,_ please?” She wrinkled her nose. “And I think that’s Firebug _and_ Firefly in the next one. Covered in foam.”

“Someone took them out.” Sawyer rubbed her eyes. “Keep moving through the cameras.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said the tech. “Only one active in solitary. ” He typed a few commands into the computer. Static cleared on one of the monitors and...was filled with bright red. “Signal’s not analog, so whatever’s there is  _there._ ”

Sawyer took a closer look at the monitor. “Right there, see? It’s pulsing, just a little.” She crossed her arms. “I think that’s a flare.”

The klaxon above the blast door blared, and it slid open. Too convenient.

“Security lockdown’s been lifted!” said another tech. “The path is clear!”

“All teams, form up and advance!"barked Sawyer into her radio. _“_ Get in there and fix this! _”_

 _“Already doing that!”_ said Gordon. _“Cell Blocks A and B are secure!”_

Renee grabbed her helmet and the rest of her gear, securing it with practiced efficiency. “Okay, let’s try this again…” she whispered.

Something was still off, though. If Kate was moving through the prison, she’d have to salvage equipment along the way, which meant---Oh. She furrowed her brow and eyed the open equipment locker beside her. All of the live ammo was already in the field, but the rubber bullets…

She pocketed one of the mags. Just in case.

 

* * *

 

 

Kate held The Ten-Eyed Man in a choke hold and covered his mouth, not allowing him to scream. She forced him to face the flare burning at his feet, and he writhed in her grasp, the sheer ocular trauma compounding in pain. He went limp, and she lowered him to the ground.

“Nice shot, Spoiler,” said Canary, moving to zip-tie his hands behind his back. “Think that’s the last of them.” She threw him over her shoulder and carried him into one of the few remaining solitary confinement cells that weren’t torn to shreds. “But just to be sure…” She set him down next to the rest of the second and third stringers that had tried to rush them. “Headcount?”

Spoiler tapped a bound and gagged Electrocutioner on the head with her pole. “One…” Shard, tap on the head. “Two…” Ratcatcher. “Three, and the Ten-Eyed Man makes four.” She stepped out of the room and looked over at Batgirl. “That’s all of them.”

“That was extremely underwhelming and I just want to say that I’m very disappointed. It’s my first prison riot, and all we’re getting is a haunted house and a bunch of rejects,” grumbled Bluebird. “Seriously, who’s dumb enough to just _run straight at us._ ”

Batgirl sealed the door and tied a note with the bat logo to the food tray. “They were running _from_ something, and whatever it was, it was worse than getting caught.”

“Let’s keep moving. We stay any longer and I’m going to want a _private conversation_ with Sister Shard.” Kate grit her teeth. Nocturna’s presence was only growing stronger, ever expanding inside of her mind, threatening to crack her skull open from within. “We’re almost at the checkpoint.”

Canary took point again and they broke off into a collective sprint, ignoring the dead, drained bodies scattered across the entirety of the solitary wing. There was nothing to be done about them, and that thought alone sickened her.

They weren’t fast enough to save them all, Kate knew that. But to lose _so_ many? If they made it out of this, she wasn’t sure whether to call it a victory, or a failure. Would Batman have handled it any differently? Aside from _actually having his gear,_ she...wasn’t sure. He would’ve gone in alone, that much she knew, but the rest was a mystery. But Bruce’d have his gear, somehow, so the point was moot.

All Kate could do was use the tools she had to their utmost potential, and she was already doing just that. But, of course, that wasn’t enough. It rarely was.

They turned a corner and spotted the crossroads down the hall; it was completely trashed. Giant impact dents, shattered glass and shredded metal covered the checkpoint.  Gaping holes in the walls, exposed piping and wiring leaking and sparking.

But no bodies. No blood on the floor.

And Kate...could hear something. Screeching. Enraged roars. Flesh crushing metal. She skidded to a stop in the center of the checkpoint and motioned for the rest of her team to hold. “You guys hear that?” she said, shouldering her rifle.

“Hear it? I can _feel_ it,” said Bette, stepping closer to her.  “She’s making her move.”

“No. She isn’t…” said Kate, furrowing her brow. “This is something else.” Nocturna wasn’t...she wasn’t _focused_ on her. She was distracted by something, or someone. “She’s preoccupied. Let’s keep moving before she realizes---"

The room shuddered and a few fluorescent lights shorted out. Metal and concrete fell from the ceiling, covering the floor. Large frayed cables swung down, sparking wildly, and forcing them to scatter to the edges of the room just before a giant, muscle-bound man in a luchador mask crashed into the ground.

“Holy shi---” said Bluebird.

Bane roared and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding _massive_ monstrous claws as they swung at his flesh, tearing up the ground instead as _she_ landed where he’d been a moment before.

Kate’s eyes widened. Nocturna. Gorged, taller, far more muscular. Veins popping on her neck, arms and legs. Eyes _blacker_ than night, and covered in bruises that healed right before Katelike fire consuming autumn leaves. She screeched, the sound clawing at Kate’s mind and causing her teeth to chatter.

The team had her surrounded; too close for firearms without risking friendly fire. Kate couldn’t move. Couldn’t _shoot_ . Frozen, helpless, teeth on her neck, fingers _inside_ her, again, and again, and again, and again...

“Kate,” Nocturna said, grinning so wide her predatory teeth were poking out of her cheeks. Her voice was like velvet, intoxicating, even more than before, laced with something so _wrong_ Kate couldn’t even begin to understand. “I’ve missed you---”

Bane charged forward and smashed her into the ground, straight through solid concrete and into the sub-basement.  “Do not take your eyes off of Bane, demon! This battle does not concern them!” He gave Kate a calm glare. “Interfere and face my wrath, _Batwoman._ ” He leaped down into the pit with an angry laugh.

Kate felt her rifle slip in her hands, flop sweat dripping down her entire body. She tried to shake it off, but her body wouldn’t respond. She just stood there, rifle at the ready, shivering. So many dead. So many _drained_ and then, Bane, why...why would she...

Blood. _Venom._

Kate coughed as Bluebird pulled her gas mask down and yanked it around her neck, snapping her out of her head and into the moment. Instinct and cold rage came roaring back as she fell to one knee, breathing heavily. “Venom,” she choked out. “Nocturna wants the venom in his bloodstream.” She scowled and pushed herself up to her feet. “Without a full dose, he can’t beat her. Just slow her down.”

Bette grabbed her arm. “Kate---”

“No time.” Kate secured her mask. “Need to get to the showers; we can’t waste this chance.” She took off into a heavy sprint towards the communal area, vaulting over the barricades and not even bothering to hold back her tears. She looked over her shoulder to confirm they were keeping up, and they were.

Bane and Nocturna crashed through the walls behind them, nearly barreling into Spoiler. She ducked at the last moment and shattered her pole against Nocturna’s achilles, forcing her to stumble just long enough for Bane to snatch her back by the neck and beat the monster through the other side of the hallway.

“NO ONE ESCAPES BANE, MONSTER! YOU CANNOT HOPE TO DEFEAT ME!”

“Does nobody have a freaking _freeze ray_ or something?!” yelled Spoiler “Or a batarang that explodes with goopy-glue?! Just throwing out ideas because hey, those two things would be super helpful!”

“No such luck!” said Batgirl.

“Well, _why not?!”_

Bette ran up beside Kate, her frown grim. “I won’t let her hurt you. I don’t care what it takes, I _will not_ let her touch you again.”

Kate stared straight ahead, gripping her rifle tighter, all the obvious, crippling pieces having clicked into place. “I know. What she did, what she _really_ did to me. I---I know. I remember.”

Nocturna clawed through the concrete in front of them, slicing at the air as they approached her while she tried to pull her lower body out of the wall. Bette shot her flamethrower directly into her face, setting her ablaze with a shrill scream, allowing Bane to grab her by the head. She screeched and dug her claws into Bane’s flanks, sinking her teeth into this throat. Bane peeled her off with a pained roar, but the damage was already done.

“You believe that a mere drink of my blood can save you?! I am _Bane_! I HAVE BROKEN THE BAT---”

Nocturna threw him head over heels like it was _nothing_ , launching him straight through the doors and into mess hall, catching the prison guards, and inmates by surprise.

“SHOWTIME, PEOPLE!” barked the unmistakable voice of Warden Agatha Zorbatos.

Kate scowled and ran harder. Perfect. Just a few more seconds. She slung her rifle and popped the tear gas, leaving a trail of noxious fumes in her wake.  

Nocturna charged towards them like a wild animal, the gas slowing her down _just_ enough, then fell on her face, her legs bound together by Batgirl’s grapnel. Canary flipped over her prone body and lifted her gas mask, unleashing a cry point-blank so powerful it cracked the floor like a faultline, all before she hit the ground running.

“Hah! Vampire down!” boasted Canary, just as Nocturna shredded her bindings and her bones audibly reset themselves like a grotesque contortionist, her muscles strengthening at an alarming rate. “Oh for---first the talon, now _her?_ ”

“VAMPIRE!” Bane smashed back through the doors like a raging bull, the team just barely making way for him, and threw himself onto Nocturna, tossing her around like a bloody ragdoll. “I AM NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!” He kept pummeling her, faster and faster, ignoring the flesh wounds she was carving into his skin, but…

“Her wounds heal faster than he can make them!” yelled Kate, dropping the spent grenades. “Get ready to split!” She tossed the taser gun back to Bluebird. “Won’t need that anymore!”

Bluebird holstered it. “Are you _sure---”_

Spoiler sprinted past _all_ of them. “Less talking more running!”

They ran through the shattered doors and into the chaos of the mess hall. One big open arena filled with inmates and guards, rifles on both sides aimed at the center of the room, Zorbatos snapping orders at them all.  And, of course, _the giant robot Batman._

It was a damn _killzone._

But not for them.

Kate made it to the end of the room and skid to a stop, pivoting back towards the broken doors and sighted Nocturna with her rifle. Charging in like a feral beast, Bane close behind her. Just as Nocturna cleared the door, Batgirl swung down from the rafters and kicked Bane in the head, knocking him out of harm’s way and into kitchen.

“Let's show this bitch how we do things downtown!” yelled Zorbatos.

Rifles, shotguns and pistols cracked to life, unloading everything into Nocturna. Bullet and shell casings rained to the floor just as the rounds themselves bounced off of her like ping pong balls on leather. She screeched at the lucky shots that tore through her eyes and mouth, sending her careening down to the ground in unimaginable pain. Explosive batarangs, bolts of lightning, sonic cries, flames and rocket pods consumed her as the overlapping fields of fire tapered off, each guard and inmate announcing they were spent.

One by one, two by two, five by five, until every last shot was fired.

Silence swept over the room as Nocturna laid still on her stomach, the wounds in her eyes and jaw healing in less than a heartbeat. They couldn’t kill her like that, but they could drain her. They could force her to burn through all of her energy.  

And if _that_ didn’t work, Kate still had her trump card, along with two in the chamber; rifle and pistol.  

Batbot lumbered over to the prone monster and scooped her up. “ _Good work, everybody! Officers, confiscate those weapons---”_

Nocturna’s eyes snapped open, and it didn’t surprise Kate, but that didn’t stop the blood draining from her face and her heart beating like a drum. Nocturna slashed into the robot suit, tearing out wiring and tossing the pilot out of the cockpit like a ragdoll, sending him flying into the mob of correctional officers.  “Oh, don’t feel _too_ bad, Kate. This would have worked if I didn’t have venom in my system,” she said, her dark eyes boring into her soul as she stood, grin as wide as ever. “Now, be a good girl and---”

Bane threw an industrial refrigerator at her, crushing her underneath its massive bulk. “Your arrogance and lack of focus will be your undoing, monster!” he said, charging through the mass of guards and into the center of the room. “Leave us! Bane shall dispose of the fraud _and_ the demon!” He glared at one of the inmates---wait, that was...Sandra? Possibly? Her face still gave her a headache. “ _You._ Explain your presence!”

Bette tugged on Kate’s shirt. “C’mon, let’s get to the showers.”

Kate shook her head. “Not yet. We need to be _sure_ that she’s following me.”

The fridge turned to ribbons as Nocturna sliced her way out of it, nearly taking Bane’s head off in the process.”I will drink _all of you_!” she screeched, resuming her assault on Bane, who pummeled her just as viciously as before.

Before Kate could even react, Sandra crossed the room in the blink of an eye and snapped a guard’s neck. The riot reignited, correctional officers and prisoners scrambling into the center of the room to fight with kitchenware and batons while Sandra threw herself at Bane, distracting him from Nocturna. 

Nocturna tore her way through the mob, wrenching herself out of what remained of Bane’s grip, and charged forward. “YOU WILL BE MINE, KATE!”

 

* * *

  
Maggie wiped sweat from her brow as she watched the helmet cams in the command center. No surprises yet. They’d had to report a lot of casualties, but they’d...they’d already seen those. Every time the pointman rounded a corner, Maggie expected Kate to be there. Lying dead on the floor in a pool of her own blood. 

Or docile. Alive, but waiting for whatever monster Nocturna had become. As much as it hurt to admit it, she’d rather see her dead than---

Maggie spun around as she heard something cut through the air and fly past her, knocking up what little loose hair she had.  

“...what the hell?” She shook out her head. “Batman, report. We lost your feed.”

“ _Rookie is---pretty beat up! Concussives and electrical weaponry aren’t responding. Canopy is pretty much toast, but the controls still work. Currently trying not to get killed by Bane!”_

“Does he have his venom pack?”

“ _Thankfully no. He’s taking this whole new Batman thing pretty personally! Any ideas?!”_

“ _The elbow-rockets should still be functional!”_ said Julia.

“ _This thing has rocket powered_ fists?! _Hold on._ ” There was a pause. “ _He’s not down, but he’s hurting. And that wasn’t in the manual!”_

“ _We just finished those today, sorry,”_ said Daryl.

Maggie covered her face with her hands. “Just stay alive, Batman.”

“ _I want my old job back!”_

“Doesn’t work that way…”

 

* * *

 

Kate turned and ran, Bette and Bluebird right beside her, discarding their masks. Bluebird fired volley after volley of electricity from her cannon, but it only made Nocturna stumble. Which was enough. _More_ than enough.

They banked left and _finally_ hit linoleum. The showers. Big room. No stalls. A pair of dead guards lying in a pool of their own blood. All mirrors shattered but one. Yes. Everything she needed, hopefully.

Kate sprinted past the showers, turning them all on, while Bette broke the heads, forcing the water to spray everywhere. Bluebird lept up to the exposed piping on the ceiling and tied herself in, with Bette joining her seconds later.

The timing had to be _flawless._ But it would be. It had to be.

Kate took her position in front of the lone undamaged mirror and started the chant. “Bloody Mary, show yourself,” she whispered as quietly as she could. “Bloody Mary, show yourself,” she said once more. “Bloody Mary…” Nocturna rounded the corner and charged forward, screeching, claws outstretched and water pouring down her demonic, angular form.

“YOU ARE MINE!” screamed Nocturna.

At the last moment, just before her teeth sank back into her neck, Kate vaulted over Nocturna’s shoulders and grabbed hold of an exposed pipe. She grinned. “Show yourself!”

Bluebird fired her cannon into the water, sending electricity arcing throughout the entire room and stunning Nocturna, locking her in place, roaring in pain. Right in front of the mirror, where _Bloody Mary_ had just materialized. The undying spirit lunged out of the mirror and proceeded to tear Nocturna apart, her infinitely sharp claws carving through unbreakable flesh like wet paper. Blood, some Nocturna’s, some she’d stolen, splattered across the linoleum, staining the water red as she screeched in agony.

Nocturna collapsed, what was left of her body torn to shreds, unconscious.

Once she’d had her fun with Nocturna, Bloody Mary looked up at Kate, only to get a rifle round right between the eyes, the crack in the mirror cascading across the surface. Kate lept down from the ceiling and shattered her with her rifle butt.  

And that was that. It was...it was over. It was over.

“Did...did we beat her?” asked Bluebird, still hanging from the ceiling.

Kate tore off her gas mask and dropped it on the floor.  “Yeah. Yeah, we beat her,” she said, a little less enthused than she should’ve been. For Bluebird’s sake. She turned off the showers and found that the water pouring down her face wasn’t that. She was crying. She rested her head against the wall and took a haggard breath. “I just want...I just want to go home.”

Bette dropped from the ceiling and pulled her into a hug. “You’re okay. You will be soon, I promise. The nightmare is over.”

_AND ETERNAL BLISS BEGINS._

Kate tossed Bette out of the way and cried out as fangs pierced her throat, drinking deep and...and instantly obliterating any kind of resistance she put up. Every flash, every unconscious reaction to the hands and teeth on her neck, every memory of the kidnapping; all of it was---pointless.

Childish. Why fight what she _wanted_ ? What she’d fallen in love with since she was a toddler? To resist was to deny herself happiness, and she’d done that far too many times. She _deserved_ to be selfish. A little. A lot. Just...just happy.

Blissful, even.

She fell to her knees, slouching, eyes half closed, and watched idly as her lover was set aflame and electrocuted. Over and over and over and over and over and...over...again? Yes.

Yes, exactly.

Over and over and over and over and over again. Repetition was what she needed for stability, and she _really_ needed stability. It wasn’t as if her _faith_ had ever---

Faith. Over and over and over and over and over and over again. Taken from her. From everyone. Her family, her grandparents and beyond that, all of that blood---didn’t belong to _her,_ it wasn’t right she couldn’t just scoop it all out and claim everything was about love and serenity and bliss and _an endless string of lies, rape and manipulation._  

Kate made fists and her eyes snapped to the side, eyeing the shotgun. Encore Contingency. She couldn’t wait anymore. Bette, Bluebird were going to be eviscerated if...if she didn’t have faith.

God, for the love of you, _please._  

 

* * *

 

Renee rounded the corner towards the checkpoint and nearly fell into a giant hole in the ground. Looked like it went all the way to the sub-basement. How, or what, could have broken through the concrete and steel of the solitary wing of Blackgate was beyond her, but the point was---okay.

There were _a lot_ of holes all over the place. Was freaking _Wonder Woman_ in town?

She heard something tiny slice through the air around her and caught a glimpse of it as it flew by. Almost looked like...an arrowhead?

 

* * *

 

Kate grinned as that _wonderful_ little semi-sentient 'throwing dart' arrived beside her. Hovering. Awaiting her commands. Encore Contingency. Bette was out of fire, and Bluebird couldn’t hold off Nocturna much longer.  But, she didn’t need to.

Thank God.

“Acquire Nocturna,” she said, raising her voice.

_“Target aquired.”_

Nocturna spun around and stared at her, confused. “Kate, what---”

“Ignite.”

Nocturna screamed as every part of her body became covered in flames. Kate rolled to the side, picked up the shotgun, and loaded the rest of the shells. Bette and Bluebird ran behind her, and Kate couldn’t stop herself from grinning even wider.

“Hurts, doesn’t it? They say you can’t _kill_ a vampire without driving a wooden stake through their heart.” She pumped the shotgun. “What say we test that?”

Nocturna rose back to her feet.  “How are you---”

“Ignite.”

She screamed and Kate shot her in the face, flechette boring through her eyes and into her brain.

“How am I resisting you? That one’s easy. And I’m disappointed that you can’t figure it out. For someone so obsessed with blood, and the strength that lies within it, you _clearly_ don’t understand it.” She sneered. “The answer is _faith._ ”

Nocturna fell to her knees, panting and glaring up at her. “You can’t---”

“Ignite.”

Flames. Screaming. Burning skin faster than it could regenerate. Kate stuck the barrel of the shotgun into Nocturna’s mouth and fired, shredding the inside of her jaw and shattering a few teeth.

“I _can_ keep this up as long as I want, actually. But I won’t. I’m not going to kill you; you’re _nowhere_ near worth the blood on my hands.” She set her jaw. “You probably think this is revenge for raping me, right? Well, it’s not. Not entirely.”

“I never---” she slurred, her jaw barely hanging on by a regenerating threads. 

“Ignite.”

Burning flesh and blood. Another shotgun shell to the face, and another pair of eyes turned to meat.

“Yes. You did.” Kate snarled. “And I’m going to have to deal with that for the rest of my life, but right now, _my life_ is just a small part of this. Of what you _did._ ” She scowled. “You did the one thing, the one _fucking thing,_ that I can’t leave alone.” She flared her nostrils. “You smothered my faith!” she roared.

“What are you---”

“Ignite.” Kate shot her in the mouth once more, before the damage had fully healed. Progress. “My heritage. My identity. You tried to bury it so deep that I couldn’t call upon it for strength. And _you succeeded."_ She held up a finger. _"_ The first time. Second time, right now? Almost did it again. Blew past my trauma and tried to _tear out my soul._ ”

Nocturna looked past her, at Bette and Bluebird. “Aren’t you going to---”

“Ignite.” Screaming, but more pained after she took another shell to the face. “They won’t help you. _No one_ is coming to save you. You’re done. But me? After all of that effort, all the people you murdered, just to scoop out my mind, my spirit, everything that I am…” She grit her teeth. “Just so you could have my _body_. A fancy toy for you to play with. All for nothing. Because guess what. That faith? _It’s back, and I am never letting go.”_

“Just kill me---”

“Ignite.” Jaw full of shotgun. Screaming became screeching, slurring even more. “Do you know what it’s like to grow up with untold generations of _vengeance_ flowing through your veins?” she said, her voice booming. “To know, at birth, on a level so innate you can’t even fathom it, that your existence is defiance to _millennia_ of purges, prosecution and hate?! No. You don’t. Why the hell would you? You’re just some random vampire _playing_ the villain.”

Nocturna fell to her knees and started to cry. “Please, just stop---”

“Ignite.” Kate blinded her again, the crack of the shotgun growing more cathartic with each pull of the trigger. “Imagine living each and every day, waiting. For the moment that you know will come, because it has _always_ come, for that call to arms to sound. I’ve spent my life listening, and you _deafened me to it_.”

“Stop this---”

“Ignite.” Kate slammed the butt of her shotgun into Nocturna’s skull through the fire, cracking it open. Weakened, almost to the point of no return. Keep pushing. “I’m not some arrogant crusader that you can break." 

Nocturna stared up at her, shivering. Terrified. Kate narrowed her eyes and kicked her into the wall, smashing the linoleum with blood. “Ignite.” She shoved the shotgun into her burning stomach and fired, flak grinding her once unbreakable skin into gore.

"I’m a damn _soldier._ "she snarled in her face, the heat of the flames crackling over her skin. Kate moved closer, bringing them nose to nose. "A family of them. A _people_ of them. And you?” Kate pointed the barrel up, cold steel resting right under Nocturna's jaw. “You're _n_ _othing._ ”

Kate pulled the trigger.

Nocturna screamed in horror when the shotgun went _click._

Kate tossed the gun to the floor. “Heh. You thought a Remington held more shells.” She smirked. “It doesn’t. But---” She drew her pistol and twisted the barrel into Nocturna’s chest, breaking the skin. “That’s why you always have a backup.”

“No---”

Kate fired directly into her heart and she collapsed on to the blood soaked floor. Mostly dead. But only _mostly._  “...shutdown code Dark-Echo-Oaxaca,” she whispered, rising to her feet.

 _“Suspended,_ ” responded the ‘throwing dart’, falling into her hand.

Kate turned around and raised her brows at the...audience. It wasn’t just Bette and Bluebird, but Canary, Spoiler, Batgirl, a confusing blur that was probably Sandra, and, for some reason, _Bane_ as well. She glared at Sandra's migraine inducing face. “Our ‘deal’ was never valid,” she said, tossing the crazy ‘throwing dart’ to Bette.

“I am aware,” said Sandra. “Your performance here was an even greater reward. I am a patient woman. I will wait.”

“Then you’ll be waiting on your deathbed.”

“Perhaps.”

“Look, SWAT will be here soon, so this is where we part ways.” said Batgirl, throwing a smoke pellet on to the ground. “See you on the other side. Stay safe.”

Kate gave them a mock salute, and once the smoke had cleared, only Bane remained. Because apparently Sandra was _magic._ Kate rubbed her eye. “I know you didn’t fight her for me, but still. Thanks.”

Bane marched past her and glared down at Nocturna’s still form. “The monster deserves death for the sins she has committed on this day. And far _worse_ for what was done to you.”

“Not my call.”

 

Bane looked back over his shoulder. “And if it was?”

Kate sighed deeply. It wasn’t a difficult question. “A Remington M870 holds eight shells. I fired eight times.” She pulled a spare out of her pocket, showing it to him. “I had _nine_.”

“That is not a satisfactory answer.”

“I don’t care.”

“Then our business is done.” Bane pushed her out of the way and stomped out of the room. “We _will_ meet again.”

“And then you’ll break me, right?”

Bane scoffed. “Do not insult me. Only a fool relies on patterns and repetition.” And then he charged down the hall, but he wouldn’t escape. Not with the blood trail he was leaving. Then again...

Kate rolled her eyes and turned back to Nocturna. Still down for the count. The voice in her head, Beth’s, who’d always told her when to stop. When to back off and take a breath...it hadn’t spoken up. But she stopped anyway. She looked at her extra shell and frowned. “...wouldn’t have killed her anyway,” she whispered.

Kate spun around as the the march of heavy boots approached, the SWAT team surging into the showers, weapons trained right at her. On instinct, she threw up her hands before they’d had a chance to demand a surrender.

And got shot in the chest. Twice.

She fell on to her back and doubled over, clutching her chest as she developed yet _another_ bruise. “Son of a bitch! What am I, some sort of bullet magnet?!” she yelled, tears welling in her eyes. “This is exactly why I put on this vest! This specific circumstance!” Her hands were bound behind her back, once again in cuffs, and dragged to her feet.

She watched the SWAT team charge back down the hall, clearly in pursuit of Bane, and coughed, having difficulty remaining upright and...lucid. Adrenalin tapering off. Just how much strength did she _use_ to resist Nocturna?

“Sorry,” said the SWAT...lady… “Couldn’t risk an itchy trigger finger putting one between your eyes, and believe me, I know exactly how much this hurts.”

Kate narrowed her eyes and looked at...Renee. “You shot me.”

“With _rubber bullets._ ”

“You _shot_ me.” Kate snickered into an exhausted laugh, her tears still falling. “Oh boy, you are _so_ getting your pay deducted.”

Renee sighed. “You were holding a _gun,_ Kate. While wearing a guard’s uniform. And you moved your hands very quickly.” She shook her head. “What were you thinking?”

Kate raised a brow and looked down to the floor, at the handgun she’d dropped. Right. She wiped away her tears with her...shoulder. Damn handcuffs. “That makes sense. Thanks, I guess.”

“Just doing what’s right.” Renee put a hand on her shoulder and raised her brows. “Your neck was bleeding, and your clothes are _drenched_ red.”

“I know, most of that’s not my blood. She almost had me again. Didn’t work this time.” Kate shivered. “Can we go, please?”

“Yeah, of course. Already collared Nocturna with a fancy shocker. And tied a cross to her, just for good measure. That’s someone else’s mess, as far as I’m concerned.” Renee escorted her out of the showers, back towards the mess hall.

“Where’s Bat-bot?”

“Probably coming up with a good cover story for why he couldn’t catch four vigilantes.”

Kate frowned. “Bring me to him. I want to tell him how much he stinks compared to the _other_ other Batman.”

Renee sighed. “I’m not going to do that. And I’m normally on that task force, so when you insult him, you’re insulting me, too.”

“You know what? I’m okay with that right now." Kate scowled. "You stink, too. Because you _shot me!”_ she snapped.

“Can we move on from that? I think this was a trap---”

“I already figured that out. Doesn’t change anything. Everything I did falls under the ‘independent training courses’ with my dad’s old unit.” She shrugged. “Well, once they dig that up, anyway.”

“Oh.” Renee cleared her throat. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely not, because I did _not_ account for any of this.”

Renee bit her lip. “Look, I saw---I don’t know _what_ I saw in there, but are you okay?”

Kate laughed once. “Am I _okay_ ? Oh, you mean besides getting shot and chased by a super-vampire across several miles of prison?” Kate continued to cry. “No. I’m _really_ not.” She bit her lip and looked at Renee. “...can I _please_ have my bail set now? I want to go home. I just...” She took a shaky breath. “I _need_ to be home right now.”

Renee looked away for a moment. “You might be able to manage house arrest. Whatever happened in there is easily self-defense, considering your...history and her meta classification.” She sighed. “Besides, most non-violent offenders are going to be released or transferred after a riot like this. It’s, well, it’s not unprecedented, but it’s up there. Too much property damage and too many dead officers” She frowned. “Hell of a day, huh?”

“Literally the _third_ worst of my life.”

Renee snickered but then stopped once she looked back at Kate. “You’re not kidding, are you?”

“Not...not even...close...” She collapsed on the ground, her head suddenly...vague and white? Trouble thinking. Focusing. So damn _tired._

Renee knelt down beside her and checked the wound on her throat. “Jesus, Kate, how much blood did you lose?!”

“However much is too much.”

 

* * *

  

“Commissioner, think that’s our VIP on helmet-cam 18,” said Harvey, patting Maggie on the shoulder.

Maggie raised her brow and turned her attention away from the radio, giving the camera feeds another look. “Oh. Oh my God.” She watched in shock as EMTs Kate wheeled out the front gate in a stretcher, unconscious, drenched in blood and so, _so_ pale. With two big marks on her neck. She hopped out of the GCPD’s Mobile Command Unit and tracked her from afar.

She wanted to follow her. Wanted to get in the damn ambulance with her and squeeze her hand until she squeezed back. Reassure her family that everything would fine, and then worry right beside them. Watch her wake up and realize she wasn’t in prison, because her bail had been set and posted while she was out. See that fire in her eyes, that passion and confidence light up when she’s told the court date.

And believe, _really_ believe, that there was no way in hell she’d lose.

Damn it all, she _still_ loved her.

“Commish’,” said Harvey, leaning outside the side of the converted semi. “I can hold down the fort. Take a walk.”

Maggie rubbed her eyes before they got any more red and fell back into the moment. GCPD Mobile Command Unit. Riot cleanup. Okay. She shook her head and set her jaw. “We’re not done yet.”

He cocked his head toward the controlled chaos feeding in and out of Blackgate. “Yeah, but she is.”

Maggie caught sight of Montoya---no. No, it was _Renee._ Walking out of the gate and pulling off her helmet. She’d seen something. “Fine. Don’t blow anything up.” She texted Renee and stuck her hands behind her pockets, making her way behind the SWAT vans.

Shit. Just...just _shit._

“Commissioner,” said Renee, rounding the corner. “Not that much to report that isn’t conjecture---”

“Maggie. It’s just…” She sniffed. “Maggie, Renee. And if you don’t have a lot, you still have something. So give me _something_.”

Renee crooked her lips to the side. “Look, CSI will figure out the finer details, but…” She looked away. “You heard the radio chatter from SWAT about Bane fighting a monster? That was Nocturna. _Most_ of that blood on Kate isn’t hers. When I found her in the showers, well, she was in a guard’s uniform, holding a handgun, and moved her hands---”

“You _shot_ her?!”

“She had a vest on, and they were _rubber bullets_.” She patted her sternum. “Twice, dead center. Either that, or risk somebody shooting her in the head. I made a judgement call. I made the _right_ one.”

Maggie glared at her. “If those are bullet wounds, Renee…”

“They aren’t. They’re rubber.”

Maggie pinched her brow. She’d...she’d be bleeding a lot more if they weren’t. And dead. She waved her off. “Okay, fine, what else?”

“Nocturna was down, third degree burns over her entire body. Her skull caved in, eyes looked like they’d been thrown in a wood chipper, blood everywhere. Her jaw was _barely_ attached to her head. Dead, _burnt_ flesh in a heap around her. A nine millimeter round lodged in her heart.” She took a deep breath. “But... _alive._ If you can call the undead alive, at least.”

“That’s systematic,” said Maggie, her eyes widening. “Torture.”

“That’s what I thought at first, but, the mess hall…” Renee frowned. “Just trust me and wait for CSI to do their job, okay? Kate didn’t kill her, and I doubt Bane’s testimony counts for anything. She was alone in a room with _her._ Whatever she did, at least it wasn’t on camera.”

“She wasn’t alone.”

Maggie turned around as...that kid with the mohawk stepped out of the shadows. One of the new ones. Bluebird? That was it. “Bluebird. You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know, but hey, I thought, I’m already in the neighborhood, so why not, right?” she said, scratching the back of her head. “Could you just...just tell her I said thank you. For looking out for me? Please?”

“Batgirl _said_ she had backup…” mumbled Renee. “Damnit.”

Maggie looked back at Renee. “Birds on the roof,” they said in unison. She turned her attention back to Bluebird who was---already gone. Wow.

“I was looking in that direction and I didn’t see her leave,” said Renee. “Please tell me Kate told you how that works.”

“Even if she did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“You gonna tell her---”

“Yes. She took a massive risk to deliver that message, so whatever Kate did in there must’ve been…”

“Reckless? Crazy? Overconfident?”

“No,” said Maggie. She looked back at the wash of blue and red lights flashing over Blackgate as the wind swept up her coat tails. “...heroic.”

 

* * *

 

_“...claims of corruption and conspiracy are beginning to surface in connection with the District Attorney’s Office. While no formal accusations have been made, it appears that Katherine Kane, currently awaiting trial for acting as the vigilante known as Batwoman, may have been correct in her statements during her arraignment two days ago...”_

Kate slowly opened her eyes and groaned, awareness filling the gaps of her consciousness faster and faster; lucidity compounding exponentially. Blonde, heavy head on her breast, breath pattern implying sleep. Beth. Needle in her arm, probably saline. Room was fully furnished, television yapping on about her trial, hospital bed was comfortable, somehow. Too nice for a state-run penitentiary. Privately owned?

Or maybe it wasn’t prison. Well, she could test that.

She bit her lip and flexed her hands and feet. Free. Unbound. No cuffs. The rest...well, the rest came flooding back in an instant, like a fuse box jolting back on.  She was _out,_ and that honestly hadn’t been part of the plan. But it made things...different. Not necessarily easier, or more difficult. Just different.

“ _...sources within the Major Crimes Unit claim that Miss Kane’s unclear and uncorroborated actions during the recent riot at Blackgate Penitentiary was the proverbial nail in the coffin. Inmates and correctional officers alike are claiming she, along with known vigilantes such as Batgirl and Dinah Lance, better known as the Black Canary, no relation to the Gotham-based band of the same name, was instrumental in retaking control of the prison. However, these testimonies vary and lack general consistency…”_

Kate took a deep breath. “Beth,” she whispered. “You awake?”

Beth stirred and looked up at her, her eyes, normally dulled or muddled, were wide. “Hi.”

Kate smiled. “Hi.” She pulled her in for a hug and winced as Beth squeezed her a tad too hard. Bruises. Everywhere. But she endured it. Those few moments of peace were more than worth it. There was no telling when she’d get another chance at that.

“You lost a lot of blood, so I said you could borrow mine,” said Beth.

Kate snickered. “Borrow? Thanks so much. I’ll give it back the second I’m able.”

Beth shrugged and settled back in her chair. “No rush.”

“ _...the Batwoman case is our top priority, and so far the investigation has been promising, but other than that, I can’t in good conscience comment any further,”_ said Maggie, getting swarmed by reporters outside of Gotham Central. “ _I_ _t could potentially jeopardize a case as volatile and delicate as this, and before any of you ask, no, we’re not ready to make the events of the Blackgate riot public quite yet…”_

“How generous.” Kate smirked and sat up in bed. “Guess I’ll be able to provide overwatch, huh?”

Before Beth could respond, their father, Bette and Catherine came rushing into the room, crowding around Kate and pulling her into a big family hug that _really freaking hurt_ . So many declarations of love, and concern and Catherine trying _way_ too hard again. Yup.

Family.

“As much as I appreciate grand gestures of family solidarity, I have to ask that you refrain from expressing your affection for Katherine. Fractured ribs are no laughing matter,” said an older woman, from behind the mob of Kanes. Grey hair, lab coat, glasses, matronly posture but also something...else. Both familiar and almost intimidating. “Miss Kane, my name is Doctor Leslie Thompkins. It’s good to finally meet in person. Bruce has told me a lot about you over the years.”

“Doctor Thompkins was close friends with your Uncle Thomas,” explained Pop.

“Oh. It’s good to meet you, too.” Kate raised a brow. Her relationship with her cousin Bruce was nothing if not inconsistent. One moment, they were close-ish, and the next, he’d vanish for six months with no explanation. She’d just learned to roll with it, especially after she figured out he was the _damn Batman,_ but this was...odd. “What did he tell you, exactly?”

“Nothing damning, I promise,” she said, waving her off. Huh. Not lying, but hiding something. “Now, Katherine, you were asleep for approximately twenty-two hours; the result of malnutrition, blood loss, extreme dehydration, physical trauma, sleep deprivation, and the rather excessive stress you incurred two days prior.” She flipped over her chart. “...and yet you have somehow managed to avoid a concussion or any permanent damage.”

“ _...no longer romantically involved with Kate Kane, and I haven’t been for quite some time. And that is irrelevant to the investigation…”_

“She has a _really_ thick skull,” said Bette.

“Be that as it may, I’m going to have to insist that you refrain from any and all strenuous physical activity for the next month and a half,” she said, scribbling something down. “Which should not be difficult, unless you somehow manage to find a way to go rock climbing in your house.”

Kate huffed. “How would I even do that?”

“You’d be surprised.”

“ _...supervillain known as Bane is still at large, and is assumed to have fled to his homeland of Santa Prisca…”_

“When can Kate leave?” asked Beth, turning off the TV.

“As soon as she feels she’s able. We’ve already kept her overnight for observation, so there’s nothing keeping her here. If you’d like, I can prescribe some painkillers.”

Kate shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. I’d rather keep my head unclouded. Thank you, Doctor Thompkins.”

Doctor Thompkins smiled. “My pleasure. Well, try not to get shot again, and best of luck with the trial,” she said, making her way out of the room.

Kate exhaled and slouched forward. She looked at her family and tried not to cry as flashes of what she’d done in the showers, of what _Nocturna_ had done to her, sliced through her mind. Over and over and over and over and over again. She winced and choked out a sob. And then another.

She couldn’t stop.

Couldn’t form words to apologize for not believing them. For drowning in her own denial. Not _trusting_ them to even consider the possibility. But she didn’t need to say a thing. Pop pulled her into the crook of his neck, and she felt a little safer. Beth squeezed her hand and Bette...Bette just looked out the window into the night. Catherine, to her credit, put her hands on her father’s shoulders. And nowhere else.

“You’ll get through this. You always do,” whispered Pop, stroking her hair. “Soldier on, Kate.”

“I know, I will. I am, I just---” Kate blinked. “Bette.”

Bette turned towards her, but avoided eye contact.

“You didn’t---you didn’t fail, okay? Please understand that. No plan survives first contact with the enemy, Bette. Everything went straight to hell the moment we---”

“You’re wrong,” snapped Bette. “She got to you. She _touched_ you, and I promised you I wouldn’t let that happen! I failed!”

Kate furrowed her brow and gently pushed her dad aside. “No. You didn’t. Look at me, Bette. _Look at me._ ” She did. “I’m not dead. I’m not down. I’m not under her control. I’m not broken. I’m not even close to being done.” Kate took a deep breath. “She tried to take my life away, and you’re part of that, Bette. You were _right there_ . You---we’re blood. And she’d already stolen _so_ much of ours.”

Bette looked away again. “Okay.”

“Say it. I want to hear you say the words.”

Bette bit her lip. “I didn’t fail.”

“Again.”

“Kate---”

“You’re going to keep saying that until you believe it. No matter how long it takes.” She frowned. “ _Stemus Simul._ Are we clear?”

Bette chuckled dryly. “Yeah. Yeah, we’re clear. I didn’t fail.”

“Good.” Kate took a very deep breath and recentered herself. “Okay. Sitrep?”

“House arrest, and that woman is one _hell_ of a lawyer. Trial’s in a month, and we’re scheduled to go in for depositions over the next few days,” said Pop. “Green’s on the same page, and all the details on our end are squared away. The Crows know the drill, and they’re all accounted for.”

“Tell them that they’re going to need to lean harder on the self-defense training angle. The insane bail hearing and the extremely convenient riot are likely an old D.E.O. contingency that probably wasn’t even designed with me in mind.”

“With Nocturna being the unknown variable. We can work with that.”

“Renee and her partner found the tapes. They can prove that was you in the video, and thus _me_ recording,” said Beth, rubbing her forehead. “And...speaking is giving me a migraine. Sometimes. A little less now. But, we’re all mad here, in some way.” She closed her eyes. “Adaptation is ineffective.”

“We’ll figure something out. I promise,” said Kate. “Are you still okay to---”

“Of course. It’s no different than what we used to do.”

“What did you used to do?” asked Catherine.

“Switch places,” said Kate and Beth, in unison. Grinning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT TODAY'S TEC COMICS! THE TEAM, JACOB, QUEER-CODING, KATE; DISCUSS!
> 
> I'm assuming, statistically, that the vast majority of you reading this are not jewish and/or were unaware that I was consciously writing Kate without taking her judaism into account. Specifically, I was writing her with something VERY BIG absent from her life and worldview that's trying to break back in, but can't due to the lingering effects of Nocturna's influence. Her faith, which defines her just as much as her sexuality. So, after this chapter, there's going to be a slight shift in tone/pacing to better match two things: the approach of Rebirth and Kate's rapidly restoring 'true' self. Thus, Legacy and Love will gain thematic traction.
> 
> I always wondered why Kate never used that 'throwing dart' again after facing Falchion. Besides plot reasons, obviously. Same with exploiting Bloody Mary, though that one could honestly be one of her 'big guns' if she goes up against something absurdly powerful. Magic counters most things in the DCU, so imagine her using that on Mirror Master. Or having a wrist-launched mini-mirror that expands and plays a binary recording of the chant so she can use it at range, which then self-detonates after a short time or manually. But here, she uses both of these things, and oh boy. Oh boy did she cheat. I've said it before, I'll keep saying it: Kate Kane is the biggest damn cheater in the Batfamily. 
> 
> Now, yes, on to the "I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman." moment. I wanted Kate to have something...similar. Not the same, not even the similar contexts, and I don't really think that's the strongest part of that sequence. But it is the 'cap' of that speech; of what Kate is reclaiming, just how much strength it gives her, and a rare look into one of the deepest of her motivations (Tikkun Olam). Gevurah is one of the ten (sometimes eleven or twelve) pillars of Kaballah, the practice of jewish mysticism. A way to become closer to God, essentially. Linguistically, this devolved into 'cabal', (because of course it did) which Kate...routinely fights against. Kaballah is often represented in the form of the Sephirot, or the "Tree of Life", the shape (as see on the chapter cover up top) of which is basically identical to the design of the Kane building we see a few times, where Kate's operational 'heart' is at the center...around a giant tree---you see where I'm going with this? None of those things are on accident. Gevurah is red, it is judgement. It is war, severity; the Left Hand of God. Kate name drops it in "Go" when she first sees the Batwoman suit. SHE made the connection, not her father. Kate is extremely in tune with her faith and heritage, just as much as she is with her sexuality, even if it's not as 'explicit', which isn't true. If she were Catholic, everything I just wrote would have been extremely obvious to even the most casual reader. 
> 
> Kate Kane and Batwoman have always been one and the same; the concept of this 'costumed duality' doesn't apply because she treats that suit like a uniform. So, really, in that moment, it's not so much Kate proving to Nocturna that she's stronger, but that the idea of Batwoman (or rather the beliefs that spawned from her desire to serve and her duty to repair the world which ultimately formed into Batwoman) is ingrained so much deeper than she could ever understand. And, of course, reaffirming to herself exactly who she is, who she represents, and where she came from. 
> 
> It's also fitting that Bombshells tackled Kate's jewishness directly rather recently (long after I'd written this part of the story) in #49, and the exchange she has with Miriam, a little jewish girl in the Berlin Ghetto, was so spot on and beautiful I honestly have to share part of it to show just how universal this _feeling_ is.
> 
>  [](http://imgur.com/CkmKGet)  
> 
> 
>  Kate isn't observant in the Bombshells-verse since, during that era, there was a huge push for American jews to 'assimilate' so as to better blend in with the rest of the population, so we'd be less likely to be victims of...everything. It's why a lot of jews had Christmas trees until around the 80s, IIRC? But, even though they weren't observant, those jews, as Kate perfectly states above, they know it in their blood. This same concept also applies to Beth. Main DCU Kate DOES know her faith pretty well, however, because it's impossible that she doesn't, considering how she acts and what she references throughout her publication history.
> 
> Anyway, Kate is not 'healed'. She is still a victim of abuse, and a survivor. That's not over in this story. Chose not to reveal Sandra, so when Shiva shows up in Tec Comics, it kinda fits. Plus, Hypnos. Kate and Beth's "Hi" is a parallel to Batwoman #19. Bulletproof vest = Bury your Gays. 
> 
> **NEXT TIME: ALL-STAR QUESTIONS**


	7. All-Star Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some questions can only be answered by wearing a mask. Of course, that doesn't mean that they should be, just that they can. The disparity there is often overlooked, and can lead to surprising, unintended consequences. The kind where nosebleeds break the laws of causality and an ingrained fear of God leads to eternal crippling guilt. Or, you know. Things not as deep or as heavy as that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://imgur.com/Rm0zLBE)   
> 

Maggie looked up at the church doors, her heart pounding in her chest. Cold sweat dripping down her neck and back in the early morning sun, almost overcast. Even as the entire MCU, dressed in all black, _her_ officers, passed her, vanishing behind those giant wooden gates, she just…

She just couldn’t do it.

Not even for the funeral service of Detective Sergeant Jackson Davies, a good man who’d been working Major Crimes just as long as Bullock. And she probably couldn’t for his _partner_ , Detective Nelson Crowe, either, when she’d try to do the same damn thing all over again tomorrow.

Stained glass windows had always looked so beautiful when she was a child, before...well, before it wasn’t. It was glass. It shattered. Handcrafted with care, but with the tiniest microfracture, the love and hope, the _artistry,_ all of it could be taken away.

All of that trust, that sense of community, compassion, oh it burned too.

Maggie backed away from the steps and took a deep breath, those few feet making all the difference between conditioned panic and control. Keeping the self-loathing, the crushing guilt, at bay had become routine since she’d been forced to leave, many years ago, but all of that willpower was _nothing_ in a house of God.  

But she still tried. She _always_ tried. Every damn time she lost a badge, she’d make the effort. She’d dress in black, make it to the steps, freeze up, and walk away. Then she’d just wait for the procession, go to the burial, the wake. Sometimes a shiva. Whatever courage she’d mustered as Medusa tore Gotham apart, that let her pass through that threshold, even as her skin felt like burning, hadn’t stuck around.

God may not hate her, but he didn’t love her all that much either.

Maggie turned and walked down to the end of the street, bowing her head, hands in her jacket pockets. High Hills Cemetery was only a few blocks south. She’d already memorized where the burial plot was.

As she moved through the graveyard, taking care not to trip over a plaque, she spotted Renee right in front of Davies’ grave site. She shouldn’t be surprised. After all, considering all that had happened to her before she left Gotham...it couldn’t be easy for her either.

“Maggie,” said Renee. “Forgot you were keen on the early bird special. Mind some company?”

Maggie snorted. “Clever.” She walked up beside her and looked down at the loose topsoil. “I don’t mind, Renee. You do this in Blüdhaven, too?”

“Every time. At first, my partner asked why, and I told her. Figured starting over meant not repeating my past mistakes.”

“How’d she take it?”

“Let me put it this way…” Renee sighed. “I could’ve eaten somebody out right on her desk, proposed, gotten married, and adopted three kids, and she’d _still_ think I was into her.”

Maggie laughed. “That’s terrible. I’m sorry.”

“Is what it is.” Renee shrugged. “Second shift commander took direct insult to it, though. Always made me _very_ aware that he disapproved. And he could. They don’t have Gordon’s Zero Tolerance policy over there.” She rubbed her temple. “Honestly, ever since I got back, Blüdhaven’s mostly a blur.

Maggie sighed. “Star City wasn’t much better. Maybe it is now, I don’t know.” She scratched the back of her head. “You know how, in a divorce, the friends take sides?”

“Yeah---” Renee’s eyes widend. “Oh, _no._ You’re kidding.”

“I’m not. He’s police, we met when we were still on the beat. Got married, had Jamie, and then…” Maggie shook her head. “I was a liar, and I kind of was, you know? Lying to myself, to my family, to my husband; my best friend. And I didn’t even _realize_ I was doing it.”

“You weren’t a liar. You just didn’t know the whole truth.”

“That’s one way to see it. Maybe one day I’ll believe that.”

“Do or don’t, that’s on you.” Renee snorted. “Let me see if I can’t guess the rest of the story you were regaling me with: then you transferred to Metropolis, met that...meteorologist?”

“Toby Raines, and she was a reporter. Metropolis Star.”

“Yeah, her. Zero Year, and---” Renee made a face. “Wait, that’s...the city was quarantined off…”

“Right. The storm, the Riddler; you were here for that.” Maggie stuck her hands in her pockets. “We both were.”

Renee paused, and then nodded. “And now we’re both going to burn in hell.”

“Probably.”

“Maybe.”

Maggie bowed her head. “Kate ever tell you there’s no analogue to hell in judaism?”

“A few times. Something about a year of facing all your misdeeds. At most.” She snorted. “Right, right, she said that’s the first time she’ll see her mother again. Giving her grief for all the crap she pulled and piling on the guilt.”

Maggie smiled a little. “They’re buried here, you know. Her mother used to have a plot at Arlington, but they moved her body here a while back, and---well, that poor girl they thought was Beth. She’s here, too.”

Renee raised a brow.  “This isn’t a jewish cemetery.”

Maggie cocked her head to the other end of the graveyard, over the fence. “ _Half_ of it is. The whole thing used to be, but for whatever reason, they split it with the church. Christ, there’s a synagogue right down the road over there. I must’ve passed by their headstones a hundred times before we even met.”

“That’s really odd.”

“I know. Wasn’t always a police graveyard. The Kanes bought the land generations ago. Her whole family plot is just across the fence.”

“No, I mean it’s odd that those graves survived the earthquake. I could have sworn they exhumed the whole city. Or, as much as they could.” She winced, a vein throbbed on her forehead. “So much was lost between the bedrock…”

Maggie gave Renee a baffled look. “Earthquake? Gotham’s built on bedrock and we’re nowhere near a fault line---what are you _talking_ about?”

Renee massaged her temples. “What do you mean _what earthquake_ ?! The one that leveled Gotham! Nearly an 8.0 on the richter scale?! Congress unincorporated the entire damn city, called it No Man’s Land, put up a full military blockade, and left us to _die_ in a living hell?! For a year?!” she growled. “Ring any bells? You must’ve watched this on the news!”

“I---” Maggie raised her palms. “I’m sorry, Renee, but no. It doesn’t. I swear, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“What?” Renee shook out her head. “No, no, there...there was an earthquake. We were trapped. Things got tribal, and Dent _helped_ . Bruce Wayne spent _billions_ , nearly everything he had, rebuilding. And then Jim got shot in the back, and I tried to---but Harvey...” she babbled, clearly in a panic. “I swear to God, I’m not making this up.”

Maggie furrowed her brow. “I...I think I remember Jim getting shot. Harvey, oh my---” She grunted as her head started to throb, pounding like a jackhammer. “We knew who did it, but we couldn’t prove it. Harvey organized a hit on the guy that did, and he got discharged. But before that I partnered you with the transfer.”

Renee’s eyes widened. “Crispus Allen.  First case we worked together, but Gordon _quit_ \---”

“Wait, no hold on.” Maggie felt her mind rubberband and snap back into place, the...edges of memory vanishing from thought in tandem with the pain. “Gordon _never_ quit. He was fired, recently. I’d remember if he actually quit.”

Renee took a deep breath and the tension in her arms and shoulders receded. “I...no, you’re right. Sleep deprivation does weird stuff to your memory.” She clapped her forehead, as if to knock something loose. “I keep getting these random migraines, too. I just keep thinking ‘they’re all connected’ but…” She shook her head. “Nevermind.”

“You’re probably still re-adjusting to the stress levels in Gotham. You’ll be fine in another week or two.”

“I hope you’re right, and it’s not a brain tumor something.” Renee laughed once. “Charlie would kick my ass across hell and back if I died from cancer after he got me to quit smoking.”

“Charlie?”

“Yeah, he’s...uhm…” Renee furrowed her brow. “I think he was my sponsor.”

“You _think_?”

Renee sighed and scribbled something down in her notebook. “No, he was. Just not officially. They don’t really have AA meetings in Nanda Parbat. They just have the nine-thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine step program,” she said, chuckling.

Maggie just stared at Renee for a moment. “How much sleep have you gotten in the past forty-eight hours?”

“Two hours. Maybe three.”

“Right after this, you are going home,” she said, jabbing a finger in her face. “You are going to _sleep_ , because you are starting to act crazy and every other sentence in this conversation has been gibberish. And I can’t risk that kind of crap right now. None of us can.”

Renee pocketed her notebook and frowned. “...yeah. Fine.”

 

* * *

 

“Okay, let’s run through this one more time,” said Kate, pacing around the estate’s living room. She looked over at her father’s laptop, the same remote support software he’d used with her now up and running again. “You left through the _north_ bootlegging tunnels, surfaced at Lake Street, circled back around the park, lost your theoretical tail, and---”

“ _Made it the the warehouse at 520 Kane Street, yes, I’ve done all of that, Red-1_ ,” said Beth. “ _Dear, could you be anymore obvious?”_

Kate crossed her arms. “Best way to hide is in plain sight, Batwoman. And how will you be making your way back?”

_“The sewers and then the west bootlegging tunnels. It’s a miracle we never got rid of those…”_

“I know, right?” Kate bumped her ankle monitor into a lamp and frowned. She _could_ fool the anti-tamper systems and just slap it on Beth, but that would be wrong in so many more ways than one. No more prisons or chains for her. Ever. “Alright, biometrics should have tagged you by now. You see that big shipping container marked with the red star?”

“ _I do.”_

Kate smiled as Pop set down a pot of coffee on the desk. She’d always wondered what it was like to be on the other side. “Stand in front of it and speak the passphrase.”

“ _Red-1, that will be quite difficult if I don’t know what it is._ ”

“C’mon. Guess.”

“ _Fine. Brussels.”_

“That’s in poor taste, Batwoman,” said Pop.

“Are you---” Kate pinched her brow. “No, it’s not _Brussels._ How do you know not know what it is?”

_“If I listed all of the reasons, we’d be here all night.  Red-1, please advise. What is the passphrase?”_

Kate threw up her hands. “Gevurah! It’s gevurah!”

“ _I barely even know what Kaballah_ is, _Red-1! How was I supposed to guess that?!”_

Pop patted her shoulder. “She’s got a good point. Wherever she’s been, she didn’t get the chance to dive into her heritage like you did.”

“ _Thank you, Red-2.”_

Kate sighed and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Fine. But it’s something the Batwoman should know and understand. If you want to do this right, convince them you’re the real deal, you _need_ to understand our faith.”

_“Then you’d better start teaching me rather quickly.”_

“Batwoman, what you’re about to do right now is effectively the most literal definition of a mitzvah, tzedakah, _and_ tikkun olam. To repair the world. I’m _already_ teaching you.”

 _“Clever. Gevurah---oh my. Are you_ sure _the original ops center is nicer?”_

“ _I_ think it’s nicer.”

“You only think that because it’s inside of your penthouse,” said Pop.

“...and it’s built around a massive tree. Batwoman, you need to see it. It is _slick._ ”

“ _I’m sure it is. Now, give me a moment while I put on the suit.”_

Kate grinned and took a sip of coffee. “Red-1, standing by.”

Pop chuckled. “Red-2, standing by.”

“ _I don’t quite possess your physique, but it still fits rather well. Are you receiving video?”_

Kate sat down at the desk and set down her coffee. GPS, biomonitors, radio scanner, motion sensors, the works. But no video. “Negative, Batwoman. All other systems are green. Are you sure the cowl is secure?”

“ _Hmmm, how about now?_ ”

The video feed popped up on the second, larger monitor, giving them a perfect POV stream from the suit’s ocular microcameras. Thank you, D.E.O. Beth was standing in her ops center, facing the computer banks, waving her hand in front of the mask. Just where she should be.  

“Visuals are good, Batwoman,” said Pop. “Now, load up on armaments. You shouldn’t need any of the heavy duty stuff, so only take equipment you’re comfortable with.”

“We’re just working on _street crime_ , Batwoman. Remember, you see anything big---”

Beth gave them a thumbs up. _“Call Batgirl, I know.”_

Kate shut off their microphones and looked up at Pop. She crossed her arms and crooked her lips to the side. “You haven’t fought me on this. I have no idea how far along Beth is in her rehabilitation, since when I planned this part, I was under the impression you’d cut her loose for a bit. So, what’s going on, pop? Why haven’t you tried to put your foot down?”

“Kate, your sister is a trained killer. I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but somebody taught her how to throw a punch, shoot, and conquer like the best of us. If there’s _anything_ that could help her curb that instinct, it’d be working with you,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “You don’t wear a costume. I taught you to wear a uniform, and that’s what you’ve done. Beth _needs_ that distinction right now.”

Kate put her hand over his and smiled. “Wars and crusades, Colonel?”

“Wars and crusades.”

Kate flipped their mics back on. “Batwoman.” She adjusted in her seat. “State the objective.”

_“Establish presence, and ensure visual confirmation by the authorities.”_

“Mission parameters?”

“ _Four-hour patrol._ _Non-lethal, maximum of six combatants at any given time. Transportation restricted to grapnel and gliding.”_ Beth waved her hands in front of the mask. “ _Red-1, I know what I’m doing. I know what needs to be done.”_

Kate smirked. “Understood, Batwoman. Mission clock starts in three, two, one---” She started the timer. “Go.”

“ _With pleasure, Red-1.”_

Kate watched as Beth lept her way out of the roof access hatch and launched herself through the air, the grapnel pulling her across the city in a way that seemed so different from her new perspective. The sense of inertia and balance when in control, above the streets she knew so well, wasn’t something one could translate to video.  

It took only a few minutes for them to spot a mugging in progress. Three hostiles on motion sensor, plus the woman in danger. Shouldn’t be too much trouble.

Beth divebombed into the alleyway, landing directly on the lower back of the first perp, quite possibly crippling him from the speed and force of her strike. She pummeled the other two with frightening efficiency, shattering their femurs and collarbone. Then, she proceeded to ensure the criminals _were_ neutralized, disregarding the woman she’d just rescued entirely.

“Batwoman, your priority should be the safety of that woman. Make sure she’s going to be okay,” said Pop, taking a sip of his coffee.

“ _Roger that, Red-2.”_

Kate bit her lip. She wasn’t a stranger to that level of brutality; lord knows she’d been that angry plenty of times. But not on street punks. Never on the disenfranchised. Worst came to worse, she’d go for dislocating strikes and damage to the joints. Incapacitation, but temporary. Wounds that would heal _without_ bankrupting them. On the minor stuff, of course. The big ones?

The murderous and tyrannical?

They were _never_ granted that restraint.

“Stay with her until the police arrive, Batwoman,” she said. “After that, reign in the fury and cut out the spinal trauma. It may be effective, but there _is_ such a thing as overkill on minor criminals. A lot of them aren’t bad people; just desperate.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Good lord, I can’t believe I was ever that green,” she whispered. “If this is what you had to watch, I am truly sorry.”

“You’re not giving her the right context,” said Pop. “Goes against your gut, I’ll bet, but for her it can’t be a war zone right now. Make her understand that.”

Kate furrowed her brow. Huh. She brought up the text strings of the HUD and tweaked them _ever_ so slightly. Cillians were now Citizens. HVIs were Victims. Combatants were Criminals. But she needed something more. Not quite as subtle, but just as effective. “Batwoman, I’m going off-comms.”

“ _Understood, Red-1_.”

Kate stood from the desk and called Batgirl from the burner she’d had Pop pick up. “Remember how you said you were the _best_ at computers?”

 _“Oh, what a coincidence, I was about to call your_ house phone _because I just saw Batwoman gliding past a police precinct in Burnside!”_ snapped Batgirl. “ _What are you thinking?! You get on house arrest thanks to some miracle worker of a lawyer, and---didn’t it occur to you that the detectives working this case would notice that the moment you’re out of Blackgate, Batwoman shows up again?”_

“I did. That’s the plan. In fact, a police cruiser should be arriving at the estate in the next half hour.” She grinned. “Good thing I’m at home, huh?”

“ _Then who’s---oh. But that’s the first thing they’ll think of!”_

“Exactly. That is why her cousin took her out for the evening. A cozy little pub on 12th in Park Row.”

 _“Mid-Patrol rendezvous. Ugh, fine, okay, what did you need?_ ”

Kate put her hand on her hip. “I assume you can access my suit’s internal systems?”

_“Access them? I’ve been beefing up the security for months without you even noticing. So, yeah, I can work my magic.”_

“Wow, uh, thanks.” Kate blinked. “Would it be difficult to alter the AR navigation system to operate as if it were in an active crime scene? My default requires a bit more discipline.”

_“Not really. I made sure your firmware is compatible with the custom OS the rest of us use, and I actually have an old preset for that. It’s designed to work with a...very large exoskeleton, as a sort of training program, but with a little tweaking I can code it to your suit.”_

“Fantastic! Thank you so much. How long do you think that will take?”

“ _Already done._ _I finished while I was talking about the exoskeleton.”_

Kate looked over to the POV feed, which had...been updated to include choke points, dynamic blind spots, virtual police barricades; everything she’d need to translate the proper context. “Hot damn. How can I thank you for this?”

“ _I’m sure you’ll figure something out. By the way, doorbell._ ”

The call ended and the doorbell rang.

“That’s strange,” said Pop. “Perimeter sensors must be on the fritz again. No warning.”

Kate raised a brow and pocketed her phone. “I’ll...get it, I guess?” Maybe she had access to some sort of fancy _Bat-satellite._

“I’ll get it!” called Catherine, running down the stairs. “You two keep doing what you’re doing; I don’t want you to be disturbed,” she said, passing by down the hall and into the foyer.

“Catherine, it’s fine, I could use a second to clear my head anyway…” Kate made her way to door, her eyes widening as she realized who was standing beside her stepmother. “What---?”

Lois Lane.

“...so nice of you to drop by, Miss Lane! It’s wonderful to meet you,” said Catherine, shaking her hand vigorously. “Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Some water? Wine?”

Lois waved her off. “I’m fine, thank you Mrs. Kane. Really, I’d like to speak to your daughter if---”

“ _Step_ -daughter.” Kate furrowed her brow and glared at Lois, joining the two of them at the door. “How the hell did you get past the security system, the _giant_ press mob at the gate, and the electric fence?”

“Miss Kane, don’t insult me,” said Lois Lane, smiling wide. “You really think this is the first time I’ve had to do all three of those things?”

Kate huffed. “I suppose not. Where’s your cameraman? Or are you doing something ‘candid’?”

“Oh, he’s not around. I came alone.”

Kate narrowed her eyes. “What story are you here about? The police brutality, the riot, or the _Batwoman_ thing?”

Lois raised a brow, a little smug. “Believe it or not, none of those things.” She leaned forward. “Now, may I come in, or are you going to slam the door in my face? Because if you are, I’d appreciate a little warning. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve broken my nose like that.”

Catherine frowned. “She is _not_ going to slam the door in your face, I promise.”

Kate shrugged. “No. I might.”

Catherine gave her a look.

Kate crossed her arms and weighed her options. On the one hand, she could kick her out and that would be the end of it. No one would question her refusing to talk to reporters. On the other, she could tell her own narrative. Control, to some degree, what parts of each story the public had casual access to. Not part of her plan, because how could anyone anticipate something this insane, but...another interesting wrinkle.

“Kate, she came all the way here from Metropolis---,” said Catherine.

Kate held up her palm. “Stop. Fine.” Kate stepped aside and motioned for Lois to enter further into the estate. “If _anyone_ could manage an interview I wouldn’t hate, it’d be you. You found out who Superman was, after all.” she said, throwing up her arms. “Some random, evangelical, right-wing kid from middle America who was somehow able to be objective on the job.”

Lois frowned. “That’s not the kind of person Clark is.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Kate lead her into the sitting room, making sure Catherine wasn’t following them, and chewed on her lip. She sat down on one of the more comfortable of the couches, and gestured for Lois to sit across from her. She did. “All right. Make your case. What do you want?”

“Not something easy, unfortunately.” Lois fished an audio recorder out of her bag. “I’ll ask before I start recording.”

“ _If_ you record.”

“Of course.” Lois leaned forward. “I’ll be blunt. For the past several years now, I’ve been wanting to bring more attention to the violence and abuse woman across the country face every day. Now, the common stuff, the men who beat their wives, the date rapists, and so on, that can only carry the message so far. I can reach _a lot_ of people, but not everyone.” She shrugged. “There’s a wall here that I can’t crack without a truly _horrifying_ story. And it has to be completely true, and high-profile. I’m hoping you can help me with that, because I _swear to you,_ Miss Kane, within hours of publishing---”

“Stop.” Kate curled her lips into a snarl. “If you had _any_ idea of the nightmare I just crawled my way out of you would never have come here.” She made fists. “You would _not_ be asking about this.”

“You’re right.” Lois held up her palms. “I _don’t_ know what you’ve been through, but I want to know, and so do a lot of frightened people out there, who feel trapped with no hope and way out.” She sat up straight. “I think we --- _you ---_ can help them.”

Kate swallowed and reined in her anger. It was possible. She’d have to tip-toe around the truth, depending on how the trial panned out. Not that she’d _fail,_ but still. There were variations. “Not now. I can’t help you right now. I’m sorry, but I can’t.” She took a deep breath. “I can’t be anything’s poster girl.”  

“You wouldn’t be the poster girl, Miss Kane. Some Hollywood celebrity would.” Lois met her gaze, open and calm. “You would only be the catalyst. The one who inspires the _real_ face of the story to come forward.”

“That doesn’t make this easier,” she said, her voice low. “Again, I’m sorry, but I can’t do what you’re asking of me. Maybe after all of this is settled and over with, we can reassess, but for now, please.” She stood. “I need to ask you to leave.”

“You can’t be serious,” Lois raised a brow. “You survived one of the worst Blackgate riots in _history,_ allegedly fought off a super-vampire, and this, this right here, an interview, _that_ you can’t do?”

“Not that I _can’t_. I’m not ready.” Kate scowled and grabbed her arm, pulling her off of the couch. “I’m in no mood for this. Leave, now, or I _will_ carry you over my shoulder and toss you over the fence.”

“The window for this story is very small, Miss Kane. For maximum exposure---”

“Then you had best make it _bigger.”_

“Katey!” gasped Catherine, running into the room. Because apparently she’d been eavesdropping.“There’s no need to be so rude to your guest,” she said, pulling Lois away. “Especially when they’re as well respected as this one!”

“It’s all right, Mrs. Kane,” said Lois. “But I really should be going. Your step daughter has made her intentions very clear.”

“Oh, well at least let me walk you out past the mob,” said Catherine. She took her by the arm and escorted her down the hall and out out the door. “And I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Besides, it’ll give us a moment to get to know one another.”

“I---I suppose it will?”

Kate slammed the door behind them and ran her hands through her hair. All she wanted was to do was stay home and clear her name. Whatever happened between her and Natalia was _her_ business, and dragging her newest trauma out into the open, before the time was right, where the media could tear it apart and pervert the truth, would only hurt her more.

She’d _just..._ accepted it was true.

“Pop!” she yelled down the hall. “Is Beth doing okay?”

“She’s fine!”

“Good. I need...some time. I’ll be back.” Kate stomped further into the manor. “I’m going to go cover the house’s choke points with _mezuzahs_ and _mogen davids_ and every other jewish symbol I can think of!” She rubbed her temples. “No more vampires.”

Never again.

 

* * *

 

Renee got out of her car and stared intently at the warehouse, the moon casting an odd glow on the alley. 520 Kane Street. It was unmarked, but she knew. She _knew_ that old, unused and abandoned building was the one she’d...been in before. Some sort of drug bust? No, that wasn’t it. Smuggling. Inter---international smuggling operations. Weapons?

Yeah, that sounded right.

She stuck her hands in her pockets and her head started pounding. The sensation was becoming all too familiar. There was a trigger to it, there had to be. A cause that wasn’t just _stress._ She’d slept the entire day, just as Sawyer had ordered, and was back in good condition.

So there wasn’t any logical reason why her head should feel like it was about to split open into a few thousand bits of gray matter. After all, she’d staked this place out for _three weeks_ long ago, all because she’d been paid that much in advance---

Renee clutched her head and stumbled into the door, using it as support as the migraine grew stronger. Felt like her brain was being curb stomped through a funnel. But she could take it. She could take it because something was wrong.

Something was just plain wrong and she _needed_ answers.

Answers.

“Okay. Let’s see what’s behind door number one…” Renee took a deep breath and---it was locked. Well. Obviously. No lockpicks, or anything close to it, not that she’d ever do that. Or knew how. Probably. She frowned and shook her head. It had been a dumb idea from the start.

An address that just _popped_ into her head at a funeral? The only thing that cut through the mind numbing pain that shot through her everytime she asked the right…

Renee raised her brows. “The right questions.”

“Yes, but in the wrong place.”

Renee yelped as she was kicked clean through the door, shattering the wood and rolling to a stop on the concrete floor. She flipped up to her feet and drew her sidearm, firing on the red and grey blur that moved through the shadows at impossible speeds. But her pistol was dry; the attacker had stolen her bullets before the fight even started. She tossed it out of the way and steeled herself for the fist fight of her life.

Except, it wasn’t.  It wasn’t, because she’d already fought that battle.

Forgotten muscle memory kicked in, just like it had with the safecracking, and suddenly she could _see_ her opponent. An asian woman in her mid-30s. Every blow she tried to land was to cripple or kill. Nerve strikes, collapsed airways, shattered vertebrae; Renee just _knew_ and was barely, just barely, able to avoid them. She trusted her instincts, deflecting and countering everything the woman threw at her by the skin of her teeth. Renee was outmatched, badly.

And yet, she still moved like some kind of martial arts master, flowing like water and seeing three, even four moves ahead, while her opponent saw _eight_ . It was unreal, and yet, so _right._ Heh. If only Tot could see her now---

“Lighthouse!” yelled Renee, finally catching the woman by her arm. “Lighthouse. North Carolina.”

“You are _not_ him,” she growled. “You are unworthy of the title! The mask! You are no true student of Richard Dragon!”

“I never---” Her nose started bleeding, but she ignored it. Speak and react on instinct. No thought. “I never claimed to be. But he saved my life, in so many ways, and I don’t know how else to honor him.”

“You didn’t have to steal his---” The woman backed away, clearly in pain as a vein throbbed on her temple. “How did you do that? How did you invade my mind and implant that memory?!”

“I didn’t. I can’t do that, Lady Shiva. Something is wrong with _everything_ and all I’m trying to do is find the answers.”

Shiva narrowed her eyes. “Who _are_ you?”

Renee smirked. “That’s the real question, isn’t it?”

“You’re boring me,” she said. “Whatever personal grudge or interest I had in you moments ago has since vanished, and I do not care to discover the cause.”

“Then _leave her alone_.” Batwoman landed in front of Renee and rose to her feet, her silhouette deepened by the long shadows of the warehouse. “Leave Gotham. I don’t have time to deal with you.”

Shiva laughed once. “Is that really the _best_ you can do? You’re not fooling anyone!” She waved her off and walked out the door. “I have a flight to catch, anyway. Until next time... _Batwoman._ ”

And then she vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Renee wiped the blood from her nose and picked up her discarded sidearm, holstering it. Didn’t get her bullets back. “Do I even want to know _why_ you thought this was a good idea?”

“It wasn’t my idea, but it was necessary. How did you find this place?”

“No clue.I’m still trying to figure that part out.”  

Batwoman didn’t respond for a moment. “Were you followed?”

Renee frowned. “Cut it out with the theatrics. That only works when I don’t know who you are.”

Batwoman grinned.

“...Kate?” she whispered. “You’re acting strange.”

A steel shutter slammed down from the ceiling, closing off the exit.

“If I were not, I would be both impressed with myself, and quite concerned.” Batwoman motioned for her to follow, and approached a large shipping crate. “Gevurah,” she said. The side of the crate split open, revealing what had to be her operational heart. Giant computer. Weapons. Spare, and old, batsuits on displays. Food and exercise equipment.

Renee whistled and walked behind her. “This is some Bond-level stuff. Why are you showing me this?”

Batwoman closed the hidden door and took off her mask---oh _of course_ . Blonde hair. “I’ve disabled communications. I don’t want them thinking I’ve gone mad again. I’ve worked _far_ too hard to get to this point, and I’m not going to let you take this away from me.”

Renee walked around the ops center, taking it all in. The oldest batsuit was different. It didn’t have a wig or helmet. Which just made things more confusing, since she had no idea how she _knew_ that one was the oldest. “I don’t want to take anything from you, Beth.”

“Then why is it difficult to speak?!” Beth tore off her gloves and set them on the table. “I was---I’m not Alice Liddel! Do you have any clue how difficult it was to find myself again, Detective?” She unclasped her belt and systemically returned each item to its proper place.  “And I finally, nearly do, with a few remnants of what must have been done to me, or perhaps what I’d done to myself---it doesn’t matter, I met you, and now the pain will not stop!”

Renee slowly turned to her. “What kind of pain, Beth? Does it feel like your skull is being crushed in a vice?” She wiped more blood from her nose. Keep asking. Keep asking questions.

“Yes. That’s exactly what it feels like. Everytime I close my eyes I see the fire. The house, the one I _built,_ it burns. It burns, and everything I worked towards, goes up with it.” She tugged at her hair. “All the blood and sacrifice I’d offered to Lilith meant _nothing_ in the fire!”

“Lilith…” Renee’s heart skipped a beat. She looked down at the blood on her hand. Lessons. Lessons of Blood. Deceit. Lust. Greed. Murder. “...then did Lilith turn away, with mock of Him; and this the First knew as counsel to be praised, and so was writ the Second Lesson of Blood. So it was He took her there, until her laughter turned to all manner of cries and moaning, and both were changed, and stronger for it.”

Beth stared at her, her jaw agape. “Where did you learn that?” she demanded.

“The Black Book. The Second Book of Blood. Chapter 40, Verses 39 to 41.”

“ _How_ do you know that? That’s---it’s impossible.”

“I’ve read them all, cover to cover. Memorized them. The Prophet’s Codex. The Sana’a Edition. The High Madame’s Binding. The holy texts of the followers of the dark word. Order of the Stone…” Renee furrowed her brow. “The Religion of Crime.”

“No!” Beth flashed her teeth. “I’m not _with_ them anymore. I’ve forsaken them.”

“To your gates I came thirsty, and with water would have left contented; but ye have shown me Greed, and this I shall---”

“Do not speak the word!” Beth’s eyes widened. “Do not _dare_ speak the word in front of me. I never want to hear it again.”

“How much does your family know, Beth? Do they know about the twisted brothels scattered across the globe!? Where you seduced patrons into murdering the staff? The human trafficking through Oolong Island?! What about the proving ground in Chittagong?!”

Beth covered her ears. “Please, no just _stop_!”

Renee sighed. She couldn’t. She... _had to know._ “...and did Caitiff gaze upon her, and saw that she was without faith, and empty; and too, he saw his reflection upon her face.”

“I’m begging you to stop. I don’t want this anymore,” whimpered Beth. “Just let me bury it.”

“Like how you tried to bury your sister? Rendering the crime unto Cain---” Renee doubled over and covered her ears, a deafening screech slicing into her soul and drowning out all coherent thought and function. She screamed in silence, the wall in her mind nearly torn to shreds.

“No, no.” Beth ran to her and knelt to the ground. “Renee, please listen. You know things you cannot know, or perhaps you do, and you’ve blocked them. There are a great…” Beth’s eyes turned red and puffy. “...many things I don’t want to remember. I have forgotten _so much_ , and I want to keep it that way. Do not waste this chance. Whatever is happening to you, _do not remember_.”

Remember. Remember to ask questions. Connect the dots that are no longer there. Faceless as the truth; an interconnected puzzle of pieces so large or so small that they cannot be fathomed. Slivers of memory leaking through the wall, the cracks in perception, bleeding over to her conscious mind in flashes. Brief and more intense than anything she’d ever felt. They piled and pooled, gaining traction and strength.

And then, for the briefest of moments, it _all_ came flooding back. A decade in an instant.

The quake, Two Face, Cris’s murder, Charlie. Kandaq. Twice Named Daughter of _Cain_ \---her forehead burst into flames, the mark resurfacing and searing itself back on to her being---the nine-thousand nine hundred ninety-nine step climb up to Nanda Parbat, Richard Dragon, all of her training. The mirrors in the cave. Flay, the brothel, the Black Books, Vandal Savage, a spear through her chest. The lighthouse, the storm, the blackest of nights and Charlie raised from the dead. And _Helena_ , oh God, how could she have forgotten her?!

A decade in an instant that faded almost as fast. But not entirely. Not yet.

“How many packs a day?”

Renee looked up at where Beth had been sitting, now faceless. The coat, the hat. The tie. That stupid grin she _knew_ he was hiding under there. “Not a one.”

“You lost a lot of bad with all of that good, Renee,” said Charlie. “Everything we went through, all the stuff before and after. Hard to tell what’s worth keeping, and what you should toss out.”

“No. I know what I’d want to keep, if I could pick and choose.” She smiled, exhausted. “I just stumbled on to the _biggest_ question, huh?”

“That you did.And this one? This one's a _doozy._ ”

“Any hints?”

“Can’t help you there. Wouldn’t be fair to everyone else. It’d ruin the fun.”

Renee snorted. “Uh-huh.”

“You skipped ahead, Renee. Peaked on to the next page before it was written. The big bad world isn’t ready for this kind of shake-up quite yet, in case you hadn’t noticed,” said Charlie, patting her on the shoulder. “But you got there, and that’s something. Only four people in the world who could’ve managed this before the door was opened, and two of ‘em are going to need one flashy push.”

“...did you just make a pun?”

“No hints!” Charlie rubbed his hands together. “So, what’s it gonna be, Renee? Do you want your old, tortured, experienced, tragic and heroic life back? Or do you want to see where this new one takes you?”

“Maybe I could just put ‘em in a blender. See what comes out.”

“Bad plan, won’t let you do it.” He helped her up to her feet. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t cheat a little. Not much time left; on your way to a stroke. Need an answer.”

Renee smirked. “So ask the question.“

“Who is Renee Montoya?”

Renee took a deep breath. “Me.”

“That’s it?”

“It’s the only foundation I need.”

Charlie snapped his fingers. “I like it. Simple and elegant. Still shoving some fun stuff in there, though,” he said, poking her forehead, the Mark of Cain vanishing in a wisp of dark fire. “Surprise, or spoil?”

“Surprise me.”

And then he was gone, and Beth was back, staring at her. “Don’t waste this. Please. Just let me forget.”

Renee blinked a few times, her head...so much clearer. Lighter. And yet, somehow sharper all the same. “It’s okay, Beth. I won’t say a thing. If Kate trusts you to put that on, then that’s more than enough for me.” And it wasn’t like Kate would _forget_ getting stabbed in the heart.

“Thank you.” She opened the shipping crate, and the exit beyond it. “Now, go. You’ve much work to do.”

“You are correct.” Renee hopped up to her feet, feeling, well, _far_ more coordinated. Huh. Sawyer must’ve been on to something about stress in Gotham. Maybe she’d just needed an adjustment period. “See you in court,” she said, making her way out the warehouse. The doors shut behind her in sequence, and Renee stopped once she reached her car.

She checked her phone. A little past one in the morning. But...well, they’d forgive her.

Always did.

Renee called her mother and smiled once she picked up. “Hey mom,” she said in Spanish. Her parents were always more at ease when they all spoke their mother tongue. Which made sense. Felt like home.

“ _Renee! Why are you calling so late? Is something wrong?! Oh, God, are you hurt?_ ”

“No, mom, I’m fine. I’m working a case…” She got in her car and started the engine. “...and I remembered I hadn’t talked to you in a few days. Just wanted to say I love you.”

“ _Is that all? Oh, sweetheart, we love you, too.”_

“And I’m gay.”

“ _Renee! For God’s sake, reminding your father and I of that doesn’t make this any easier._ ”

“It might.” Renee backed up out of the alley and merged into traffic, driving back home. “I guess. I don’t know for sure. I’m just...I’m happy you can still look me in the eye and say I’m your daughter.”

“ _It is one in the morning! Why are you torturing your mother with this before she’s had her coffee?! Good lord, is that what happened in the case you’re working? Did a poor girl get shunned like the Amish?_ ”

“Yes. She did.” She swallowed. “Look, I’m trying to say thank you. For not---for not doing that.”

“ _You’re thanking me for not being a horrible mother. Sure, I’ll take it. You’re welcome._ ” Her mother sighed. “ _...how is---how is Daria? You got back together with her, yes?_ ”

“I did. Don’t know how, but I did.” Renee’s heart caught in her throat. “Still not as good a cook as you, but she’ll never hear that from me.”

“ _It’s not nice to tease your mother like that._ ”

“I’m not teasing, mom! I’m serious!”

 

* * *

 

**One Month Later**

 

Maggie looked between a map of Gotham and Kate’s ankle monitor GPS. The signal hadn’t moved an inch in _three weeks,_ and yet there were still at least two dozen reported sightings of the Batwoman. Most of the time just barely within shouting distance of a police precinct.

Obviously, it was Beth. Or maybe Bette. Could be both, considering how they’d gotten a few simultaneous calls on two different ends of the city. The idea was clearly to reinforce the fact that Kate _couldn’t_ be Batwoman, if she was under house arrest the entire time. But Kate wasn’t sloppy.

Why would she want there to be _two_ different sightings at the same time? Maybe she didn’t, and something went wrong.

“Commissioner Sawyer?” said Detective Corrigan, knocking on the wall, his irish accent distinct as ever.  “You wanted to see me?”

Maggie turned around and motioned him over, catching a glimpse of Renee and Allen comparing notes. “Yes, Corrigan. I’m putting Precinct 13’s Midnight Shift on special assignment. The D.A.’s office needs use of your…” She frowned. “Particular set of skills.”

“In what capacity?”

“That depends.” Maggie crossed her arms. “Can you nullify a vampire’s abilities, but still allow them the testify of sound mind and body?”

He scratched his chin. “Yeah, sure. Mitternacht, right? Nasty business out at Blackgate. Sorry we didn’t catch onto that one sooner; pretty sure that WayneTech gadget would do the job just fine.”

“What’s done is done, Corrigan. Trial’s in the next few days, so I want you and your team over at Arkham making _absolutely_ sure that she’s not going to get loose again.”

Corrigan scratched the back of his head. ”...not that keen on returning to the grounds where I found an actual portal to hell, but if it needs doing, it’ll get done.”

“Wait…” Maggie raised a brow. “Are you saying that hell is _real_?”

“Not a place I’d want to visit again, but yeah. Real as real can be.”

Maggie stared at him for a moment. It was clear that _he_ believed he was telling the truth, and it wasn’t like she was a stranger to the supernatural. But there were _a lot_ of variations of hell. So best not focus too much that it could be possible to find out, unequivocally, that she was or was not going there upon her death. “Just get to Arkham. Do some tests.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Corrigan pivoted and swept out the door like a bonafide gumshoe. And he wasn’t even being ironic about it. What was it with Gotham and _that_ kind of police?

“Uh, Maggie?” asked Renee, joining her at the board. “We’re done.”

Maggie yawned.  “With what?”

“The Batwoman case. I just looked over the depositions Allen and MacDonald collected from Green, on behalf of the Kanes, and there’s nothing left to investigate.” She chuckled. “We...did _everything_.”

Maggie narrowed her eyes. “Chase?”

“All set.”

“The Crows?”

“In town, and we’ve got badges watching.”

“The Mitternacht Penthouse fire?”

“Bartlett and Del Arrazio followed up; they agree with what Arson made of it. Gas-powered fireplace, Mitternacht probably left it on when she somehow _teleported_ four city blocks and forty-stories down.” She shrugged. “Whether that’s true or not doesn’t quite matter. Only thing we found were some scorched throwing knives that match the size and shape of those used by the camera woman.”

“Batwoman?”

“Somebody reported a sighting to the Nine-Nine over in the East End about ten minutes ago. Hawkfire was along for the ride too, this time.”

“Blackgate?”

“CSI submitted their findings two weeks ago. We’ve both read them to death.”

“Mitternacht’s vampire intel?”

“Again, she gave it up after the riot. Handed it off to the bureau. I’m guessing she assumed that whatever Kate may or may not have done that night was practically a signed confession.”

Maggie pinched her brow. “We’re not done. We had to have _missed_ something.”

“For once, and I can’t believe I’m saying this but---” Renee crooked her lips to the side. “It’s out our hands now. All we can do is wait and see how it goes in court.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because, outside of going completely insane and destroying evidence, there isn’t a _single_ thing you can do right now that could affect the outcome of the trial.”

Maggie stood up straight. Oh. _Oh._ “I believe you’re right, Detective.” She checked the GPS signal one last time. Still at the estate. “Hold down the fort. I’m going to personally confirm Miss Kane’s whereabouts. God knows we’ve sent way too many beat cops over there already. They probably think it’s a hazing ritual now.”

“If they ask, I’ll make sure to correct them. Eventually.”

Maggie snorted and pulled on her coat. She made it halfway out the door before stopping. “Thank you, Renee.”

“Don’t. It’s what’s right.”

“No. But it _is_ good.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kate peeled the layers from her mind, her thoughts racing so quickly they refused to let her sleep. Relax. Meditate effectively. But that would change tonight. She _would_ sleep well, sound and safe. Beth and Bette were out on patrol, and in a few short weeks her sister had picked up more than she could’ve thought possible. She still needed guidance, but the progress was undeniable.

Not just in combat and situational awareness, either. But in _faith._ It was as if that first night out had jump started her hunger for her heritage; to learn what it _meant_ to be a jew, and how she still was, even when she was lost. It would have been easier with a rabbi on hand, but that wasn’t really an option.

So she had to make due with her father and...Catherine. Who needed to stop being so _smart_ and go back to being annoying so she could have legitimate justification for not liking her.

She sat atop her covers, eyes closed and body open in meditative posture. Hands resting on the edge of her knees. Nocturna had stolen this from her, too. Made her forget that she _could_ find some semblance of peace on her own, however briefly. Even if she mostly used it for intense thought in regards to cases she was working, it was still calming.

It still stripped her down to only what was necessary. Objectivity, not emotion.

There was nothing to be concerned about other than the trial, and really, she _shouldn’t_ be. Barring some completely impossible unforeseen circumstance where---no. No, it didn’t even warrant consideration. Everything was going to like clockwork. Even if it didn’t, she’d prepared for that, too.

Her breath was even, steady.

Quiet. Except for the knock on the door.

The bed creaked as someone sat down beside her. Her eyes snapped open and she turned to---Maggie. No, no, _not_ Maggie. It was happening again. She’d let her guard down; somehow she’d gotten past her mental defenses once more, or found another crack in the armor. It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t succumb.

Not again. Never again.

Especially since she’d anticipated this exact scenario.

“Hi, Kate.”

“Do you really think I’m _this_ easy? After all that happened at Blackgate, you thought this would work again?” growled Kate. “It won’t. This room is _covered_ in religious symbolism, owned by a woman with more faith than you could ever comprehend. It won’t kill you, but that power will leave you comatose in the next few seconds.”

Maggie widened her eyes. “Oh my God. This is how she got in, isn’t it?” She looked around the room. “This is how it happened.”

Kate glared at her. No sign of discomfort, pain, or _anything._ No reaction at all. Was Batgirl wrong? No. No, that wasn’t it. She’d dealt with vampires before. She wouldn’t give her bad intel. “Stop talking.”

“Kate, I am _so_ sorry. It didn’t even occur to me---” She reached out to her, but Kate scrambled away towards the nightstand. “I’m real, okay? It’s Maggie. I’m not her. I’d cross my heart but…” She looked away. “You know why.”

“No. No more nightmares.” Kate drew the pistol she’d stashed in her nightstand and aimed it Maggie’s heart. “Here’s the deal. I’m either having a night terror, again, or this is real, and you’re going to feed on me. Neither are acceptable.”

“Jesus, no!” Maggie held up her palms and stood from the bed. “Just put the gun down, okay? I’m real, I swear to God.”

“My counter measures aren’t working. You just _appeared_ out of thin air.” She pointed the gun at her own head. “You take one more step and I’ll find out if I’m dreaming or not. Either way, _you can’t touch me_.”

Maggie started to cry. “God, no, no, no, please just calm down. I’m not moving, okay? I’m going to stay right here, but---” She gasped. “I have pictures. Of Jamie. And us, and _a lot_ of people that Natalia couldn’t possibly have. They’re on my phone.”

“ _Or_ she’s just controlling you.” Kate set her jaw and turned off the safety. “Unlock it. Toss it over, _slow_. I’ve had this nightmare enough times be lucid in it. If you show me pictures that I’ve never seen before, of us, I’ll know.”

Maggie did as she was told and narrowed her eyes. “Just look at the pictures, Kate. You’re not dreaming, I _swear to you_.”

Kate swiped through the pictures and...they were real. She remembered when they were taken. Happy, and so in love. She couldn’t even remember the last time she smiled that wide. And the last one, oh God. She sniffled. ”Our engagement photo. It was going to go out in the invitations---”

Kate hissed as she was slapped in the face and the pistol torn out of her grip, dropped the apparently _empty,_ but weighted, mag to the floor ( _really,_ Pop?!) and tossing the gun across the room.  Maggie grabbed her wrists and forced her to look at her.

“I’m real. You’re not dreaming. I snuck in through the bootlegging tunnels beneath the estate. I’m sorry I scared you, but _don’t ever do that again_.”

Kate held her breath until she couldn’t anymore. She was awake. Secondary confirmation, first from the slap. She looked down and spotted the edge of Maggie’s duty weapon, along with her badge. “I’m awake.”

Maggie let go. “Yes. You are. Do you believe me, now? I won’t claim to understand how it feels to be uncertain of your own reality, but I’m _trying_ , Kate.” She reached out to her, tentative, clasping her hand. “Tell me how I can help you. Please.”

“That...that just now is proof enough.” Kate sighed into a smile. She felt safe. She felt _right._ As she should, because it wasn’t just some random woman who’d snuck into her house to see her. She was, well, the only one she wanted. “Hey, Mags.” She squeezed her hand. “Sorry.”

“It’s...it’s alright.” Maggie exhaled. “At least this made sense, unlike that stunt you pulled with the fear toxin.Thank God that _this_ time I was fast enough to stop you from being an idiot.”

Kate huffed. “I was trying to be romantic.”

“No, you were trying to prove some insane point about _empathy_. And you did. It was terrifying.”

“It _is_ called fear toxin.” Kate rested her head on her shoulder. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“But you’re not going to ask me to leave, are you?”

“No. I can’t. I don’t want you to.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t have the right to ask you to stay, either.”

“I _am_ here, Kate.” Maggie stroked her hair. “I came. I ducked through a maze of tunnels just to get here. Just to see you. To make sure you’re okay. As much as you can be.” She kissed her forehead. “You don’t _have_ to ask.”

Kate looked up at her. “I’m nowhere close to okay, Mags.”

“I know, but you will be.” She frowned. “How many cases of rape and abuse do you think I’ve worked with over the years? How many times do you think I’ve watched this play out, in a thousand different ways, over a thousand different situations?”

Kate swallowed. “I don’t even want to think about the exact number.”

Maggie shook her head. “You really don’t. This is just the first one with a _vampire_ , and, to be perfectly honest, it changes nothing. It’s the same tragedy. The same story, with the same trauma.”

“That doesn’t make it better. I still did what I did. I still hurt you.”

“Yes. You did.” Maggie gave her a small smile. “In the past month, I don’t think I’ve had a single waking moment where you weren’t _somewhere_ on my mind, Kate. And at first, I thought it was because this case had _become_ my life. But every day I couldn’t stop seeing you on that stretcher. Drenched in blood, still bruised and paler than I could ever imagine, and I realized…” She brushed her hair out of her face. “...you hadn’t done anything I couldn’t forgive.”

“I---what? _Why_? How?”

“Simple. After all of this, after everything that’s happened between us and you and that monster, you’ve still managed to keep all but _one_ of the promises you made to me.”

Kate’s heart caught in her throat. “...I never cheated on you.”

“Never.”

“I never killed anyone that wasn’t going to kill me.”

“Not even Natalia.”

“I never hurt your daughter.”

“You went so far beyond to keep that one that the only way to describe it is overkill.”

Kate sniffled into a sob, her eyes running red. “But I didn’t marry you.” She tried not to cry. “I was going to get the most beautiful chuppah, like the one my great-grandparents had, and it was going to be outdoors, so the synagogue wouldn’t make you nervous. And, oh God, the _ketubah_ would’ve been a riot---”

Maggie leaned down and kissed her, deep and tender. Kate gasped into it, the warmth and _familiarity_ clearing her fear addled mind. She wrapped her arms around her neck and groaned as Maggie trailed her lips down to her chin, to her jaw, to her neck---

“St---stop,” sputtered Kate, her breathing short and staggered. “I’m sorry I…” She gently pushed Maggie away while her heart pounded hard and harder in her chest, sweat dripping down her back and neck in moments. “I can’t. I _can’t,_ I just I---I can’t.”

“It’s okay.” She entwined their fingers together. “It’s alright, just look at me and breathe. Remember where you are. You’re home. You’re safe, I’m _right_ here, Kate.” She squeezed her hand. “Just ride it out. Allow yourself to feel this. Don’t try to stop it. Let it happen. It’s not forever; it’ll pass.” She narrowed her eyes. “Soldier on.”

Kate whined and tried to calm her breath, but couldn’t. She couldn’t stop remembering _every single time_ Natalia, Nocturna, had touched her. Made her into a living doll and coaxed out the reactions she’d wanted at the time. So much attention on her neck, always the neck. Intimate and _violent_ and bloody and always feeding from her soul, not just her body.

Sharp knives on her throat, drawing blood in tandem with the beat of her heart as she _spoon fed_ her. Imposing false bliss; numbing her body and mind to the point where she was trapped in her own skin, unable to feel. Unable to _speak_ or think. Unable to _be_.

Kate finally slowed her breath, and with it, the worst of the panic passed her, the rest receding little by little. “I’m sorry. I should’ve realized that would be a trigger.” She sat up and wiped the sweat off of her face. “I can’t even imagine how long it would take to reassociate something so small like that.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. Let’s just talk. We don’t have to do anything else, alright?”

Kate nodded. “Okay.”

“Which reminds me, actually. A friend of yours came up to me a few weeks ago and asked that I tell you something for her.” She tilted her head. “Bluebird says thank you. For looking out for her.”

“That’s so sweet.” Kate smiled wistfully. “She’s a good kid, and I can’t say I was surprised when I was more concerned with watching _her_ back than Bette’s that night.” She snorted. “Batgirl said that, uhm, the woman who provides overwatch for the ‘big nights’, you know when everyone gets the call because the city is exploding?”

“I know them well, yes.”

“The night of the fires, I got paired up with Bluebird. Before that, I’d never even heard of her. But, that woman, Batgirl said she wanted me to _lead by example_.”

“Solidarity,” said Maggie.

“A little bit goes a long way.”

Maggie looked away, and they settled into a comfortable silence. Maybe a few minutes, a few hours. It didn’t really matter. Mags was _there._ Right there.

“I---we’ve done everything on our end,” whispered Maggie. “I _think_ I know what you’re planning, but I could be wrong. Even so, it’s out of my hands. There’s only one more thing I can do that might help you win this, but...” She took a shaky breath. “I honestly don’t know how to anymore.”

“How to what?”

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to _pray_ for you, Kate.”

Kate couldn’t help but smile. “The way I was taught, it’s a lot more simple than what you’re used to. I can lead you through it, if you want.”

“I do.”

“Okay, close your eyes.” Kate waited for Maggie do so before closing your own. “Now, imagine a burning bush.” She focused on her own interpretation of the words. It looked almost identical to one of the shrubs they had in their backyard, when her family lived on-base at Fort Richards when she was young.

Which she and Beth accidentally ignited with fireworks.

Okay, it was just her, but Beth offered to take half the blame anyway.

“ _The_ burning bush?” asked Maggie.

“Yes.”

“What’s it supposed to look like?”

“Whatever you believe it looks like,” said Kate.

“Well, what does _yours_ look like?”

“Mags, that would defeat the purpose. However you visualize your connection to God, that’s what it is. There’s no right or wrong answer.”

“Okay. I think I’ve got it.”

“Tell me when you _do._ ”

“I do,” said Maggie.

“Next, thank God for something in your life, or of those around you. It’s important to start with gratitude. Think of it like a conversation.”

“Alright,” said Maggie. “Are we supposed to be sitting down for this? I thought there was...bowing? Maybe?”

“Sure, in a synagogue, and really it depends on the congregation, the sect----” Kate furrowed her brow. “We’re getting off-topic. Sitting is fine right now.”

“Got it. Am I supposed to say everything out loud?”

“No. We’re doing a simplified variation on the silent amidah. You should only speak loud enough so that _only_ you can hear it. Mouthing the words, or just thinking them, are also fine.”

“If it’s silent why are we talking?”

“Because how else am I supposed to explain it to you?”

Maggie grunted. “I feel like I should do something with my hands.”

“You’re overthinking this. You don’t need to do anything with your hands.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Alright, now, first is gratitude. You thank God. Then, you _ask_ for what you need, not what you _want_ , in however way you wish to express it. Then, and this is _incredibly_ important, you thank God again for already answering your prayer with the same wording as you used to before.”

“I understand.”

“Take as much time as you need.”

_Thank you lord, for bringing my sister back to me, and giving us the chance to be a family again. And for our health; mom always did that, and we’re not sick. Please, God, help Maggie find her faith again, in whatever way it may surface, and grant her the strength to accept that she has every right to be happy, no matter what she’d been taught as a child. Thank you God, for helping Maggie find her faith, and granting her the strength to fully accept happiness in her life._

Kate opened her eyes and looked to Maggie, who was still mouthing something. She turned away and smiled to herself. Heh. Now all she had to do was drag Beth to their mother’s yarhzeit, and things would be well on their way to...well, _better._  

Maggie opened her eyes and cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Maggie bit her lip. “So, kind of related, Renee told me you’re a really good cook?”

Kate snorted into a loud laugh. “Yes. Yes I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Renee, huh? Wonder who saw that coming. Pre-Flashpoint, she had a huge, years long arc (arcs, really) to figure out who she was, and this whole thing was sort of me trying to validate that in the new continuity, without it conflicting with other things. Instead of taking up the mantle of The Question, Renee CHOOSES the path she'd been denied to walk all those years ago. The one with a home and a family. It gives her agency in the total 'clean slate' the relaunch sort of gave her character, as it truly is a real second chance in a lot of ways. Heh, and the four people that Charlie references, who could manage to "crack" Rebirth before Rebirth actually happened are Bruce Wayne, Barry Allen, Psycho-Pirate (because he remembers ALL continuities, even Pre-Crisis) and Renee thanks to her "Five Years In Bludhaven", a city which may or may not exist anymore, as it got Nuked during Infinite Crisis, and Dick hasn't operated there like...at all since the New52 started. 
> 
> The graveyard scene, which I got SO LUCKY with thanks to Tec 938 (even though it contradicts 2010's Batwoman #0), was an exploration of one of my favorite parts of the Batwoman solo book. Issue #15 was just about Maggie, and getting inside her head was incredibly compelling. The fear she experienced was palpable when she walked into that church. There's a lot of trauma there, a lot of crippling guilt and self-hatred, no matter how "Out and Proud" she is, her childhood is still part of her. And those kinds of things don't get easier; you just get stronger. I also think it's interesting that all three of our POV characters have differing views on God. Renee is still reasonably confident God is real, and if God is real, that God basically doesn't listen to her at all or doesn't care about her. Maggie believes God is real 100%, but has no idea if God loves her anymore. Or if that was ever true. Kate...well, the further away Kate can get from Nocturna, the more back in tune with her faith she becomes. She's not devout, nor that observant, but she knows what's important, and it's a big part of her. 
> 
> So, so, so, so, so much of DC's continuity from 1999 to 2011 can be traced all the way back to No Man's Land. It's really interesting how the causality works there. That earthquake, fittingly, had aftershocks that affected the DCU for over a decade. 
> 
> Yeah, I know, it's a bummer that Kate gets triggered by something as sensual as a kiss on the neck and throat, but hey, that's what would happen. And really, it's more important, I think, that Maggie's there to help her through the panic attack than it is that they make love. Because that's what she really needs at the moment. As for the prayer, initially, when I wrote it, I thought there was something off about it (so did one of my editors), but I couldn't figure out what it was. After a few days, I realized that it was because I'd never actually seen that before. In anything. I'd never seen a jew lead an estranged catholic through prayer so explicitly without cutting away or moving to another scene. Or, really, in any authentic manner regarding jewish prayers. Now, that's the variant I was taught, and there are a lot out there, but it says a lot that the reason I felt my own writing was "off" was because of a lack of representation in media. Even when I'm trying to "fix" that by having that exist here.
> 
> Bits and pieces:  
> -When Beth tells Shiva to leave Gotham, she's not imitating Kate. When she has no idea how Kate would act, she just does what she's pretty sure Batman would do.  
> -The exoskeleton that Babs is referencing is the Hellbat suit. That thing has so many variations, I figured Bruce tried to figure out if it was worth the effort to use one all the time (it wasn't, because Batman).  
> -This is the first time Kate has called Maggie "Mags" in this story. That was a very conscious choice to hold on to that. It's also only the second time either of them have had any direct contact with the other. Everything else has been through cameras, Renee, proxies, or the news.  
> -I always thought it was interesting that Renee and Maggie's working relationship was so extremely professional. I mean, it still is, here, but opening that up a little was something I wanted to do. Juuuuuust a little.  
> -The bootlegging tunnels were, believe or not, a creation of Marc Andreyko. During the Webs arc, Kate uses them to sneak around the Kane estate and freak the hell out of Wolf Spider. Figured since the Waynes have a massive cave system, the Kanes can keep their bootlegging tunnels. As for how Maggie knows about them, she's a detective. The amount of research she's done into Kate over the years has got to be staggering. 
> 
> ...and since it's wednesday, wow. Bruce, that's four batmobiles you've exploded. And only two of those were on purpose! Get your act together!
> 
>  **NEXT TIME: THE TRIAL OF THE DECADE BEGINS!** (Part 1 of 2)


	8. Trial of the Decade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of the pieces are in place, the players are at their starting positions, the cameras are rolling, and the day has finally arrived. Everything Kate, her family and friends have worked towards culminating in one giant live-streamed event. The Trial of the Decade.
> 
> The People of Gotham City versus Katherine Kane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://imgur.com/JlSsjqA)   
> 

Renee checked herself in the mirror. Navy blue leather jacket, black button up undone just a little below her neck. She pulled her hat off the shelf and flipped it over in her hands. Harvey’d just get jealous and think she was trying to bug him. She wasn’t, but...maybe some other time.

And the tie. _Definitely_ next time.

“Oh, well _look_ at you,” said Daria, catching her eye from just outside the bathroom. “Don’t move, I have to get a closer look.” She slipped between Renee and the mirror, running her hands along the edges of her jacket. “Did you have this tailored? It’s _flawless_.”

Renee chuckled. “No, not quite. I bought it at Goodwill the other day, and it just fit.” She smirked. “Why? Do you like it?”

“You look like a modern gumshoe.” Daria pulled her in by the collar and kissed her, pulling back with a smile. “I love it.”

“Thought you might.”

“Are you still going to try and make it to the trial today?”

“I…” Renee sighed. “No. Every major news outlet in the country will be streaming it. I’ll watch when I can.”

“Hm. Couldn’t get the day off, could you?”

Renee snorted. “Babe, the _Commissioner_ could just barely get the day off, and she’s going up on the stand.” She gave her a kiss goodbye and made her way out of the bathroom. “Oh, hey, fun anecdote. Do you know why they’re calling it the ‘Trial of the Decade’?”

Daria raised a brow. “No, why?”

“Because they already reserved _century_ for Batman.”

“Of course they did.”

 

* * *

 

Maggie weaved her way through the rampaging press mob on the steps of the Solomon Wayne Courthouse, keeping her phone glued to her ear. “I’m _sorry,_ pixie, but mommy has to save the city today. You can come in town on the weekend, alright? I promise.”

 _“You said that last weekend._ ”

“I know, sweetheart, but remember every time your mother breaks a promise like that, what happens?”

“ _...the city doesn’t burn down and you get another vacation day.”_

“And what am I going to do with those vacation days, pixie?”

“ _Take me anywhere I want on the best trip ever?”_

“Exactly. So, just, please, think of it like a delayed christmas gift, but it only gets better the longer you wait for it.”

“ _Okay. Will Kate come too?”_

Maggie swallowed as she finally squeezed her way through the doors, dodging journalists and shoving photographers out of her way. “I don’t know, sweetheart. I’m not sure she’ll want to.”

“ _Well, I think she does! If she didn’t, why would you be saving the city today?”_

“You know…” Maggie showed her badge to the officers at the door to the courtroom and stumbled her way through the crowd, walking up the aisle to the middle section on the righthand side. “That’s a _really_ good point.” She sat down at the end of the aisle and ran a hand through her hair. “God, you’re so---do you have any idea how smart you are?”

_“Kinda. You tell me all the time.”_

“And I’ll never stop.” She smiled. “Okay, I’ve got to go, sweetheart. I love you very much. Can’t wait to see you.”

“ _Okay! Love you too! Bye!”_

Maggie snickered and pocketed her phone. If she were being honest...well, _Jamie_ wanted Kate to come along, and she barely even knew her. It said a lot. Mostly that Kate was just _that_ good with kids, and that even her daughter could tell when something made sense. But, only time would tell how all that panned out.

“This seat taken?” said Barbara Gordon, practically collapsing next to her. “They’re going to fill up pretty fast, and I’d rather not sit next to some skeevy reporter.”

“Go ahead, Barbara. You here with your dad, or did you just want to catch the show?”

“Dad’s at, uh, _work,_ with I’m guessing Deputy Commissioner Akins? I came with some friends who _really_ wanted to see the D.A. get her butt kicked.”  She sighed. “First day off I give myself in months and I spend it here, just to watch Willis get everything shoved in her big smug face.”

“I thought cops _liked_ the District Attorney,” said a blonde woman in something that _looked_ like fishnets, but clearly weren’t. Was that the new style of leggings? Faux-fishnets? She sat down next to Barbara. “Or is this like a rivalry thing.”

“...shouldn’t we be sitting in the back? I think these are reserved,” said a shorter young woman with a blue-purple combed-over mohawk. Whatever those were called.

“It’s not like a baseball game, Harper,” said Barbara. “It’s first come first serve. Trust me.”

“Yeah, _Harper,”_ said a blonde teenager, hopping over the pew and landing next to Harper. She nudged her in the arm. “

Maggie raised a brow. “Shouldn’t the two of you be in school, right now?”

“Nope. Dropped out, got my G.E.D.,” said Harper. “But Steph here, _she’s_ truant.”

Stephanie, apparently the blonde teenager, gasped. “I am not! I’m...in between schools.”

Maggie snorted. “It’s fine, I really don’t have the time or energy to deal with that, anyway…” She furrowed her brow.  “Hey, wait, I know you.”

“I’m, uh, _completely positive_ that you do not,” said Stephanie.

“What?” Harper chuckled, anxious. “ _Whaaaat,_ no. I think I’d remember meeting you.”

“No, not you two. _You_ ,” said Maggie pointing to the woman with the fishnets. “Aren’t you the front woman for _Black Canary_?”

“That’s me. Dinah Drake.” said Dinah. “And if you caught one of our concerts, I’m legally obligated to tell you that we’re not responsible for any and all injuries you incurred on the premises of the venue. Even if I, _allegedly,_ caused them.”

“...and yet I can never find any concert tickets...” mused Stephanie. “It’s almost like people _want_ to get beat up.”

Maggie snorted. “I was just trying to say I liked her music, but now that you mention it, did it ever occur to you to call it a mosh pit?”

“Clever, but I don’t think it’d hold up in court,” said Barbara, turning to pout at Dinah. “There’s been one too many reports of _somebody_ beating violent guests into submission with a microphone stand.”

Dinah stretched out her arms along the back of the pew. “Wouldn’t know, Babs. I’ve been far too focused on my performance---”

The press mob exploded, flash photography and screaming reporters even louder and brighter than before, and the four of them turned around to watch what all the commotion was about. It wasn’t surprising, but damn if it wasn’t one hell of a show.

The Kanes, all of them, and Rachel Green, cut through the crowd with military precision, their positions staggered in a diamond. Kate in front, Rachel on her left, Jake on her right, with Bette, Beth and Catherine forming the back line. She caught Kate’s eye as she passed, and she _grinned_.

‘Trial of the Decade’, and Kate had the confidence to enjoy it.

“Holy crap,” said Harper. “If I ever get arrested, I want to make an entrance like that.”

“They’re not just going to court, kid.” Maggie couldn’t help but smirk. That confidence had always been so contagious. “They’re going to war.”

 

* * *

 

Kate sat down at her desk beside Rachel and wiped the grin from her face. That was only for Maggie’s benefit. She checked her watch and pulled the metal tab _just_ a bit, activating her transmitter. And that was that. Everything was officially out of her hands.

All she had to do was put on the best damn show of her life.

“Court is now in session,” announced the bailiff. “Case number 2734, The People of Gotham City versus Katherine Kane, with the honorable Judge Snyder presiding.”

Snyder adjusted his glasses atop his podium and leaned forward. “Katherine Kane, you are charged with…” He looked through his papers and sighed. “Multiple dozens of counts of---”

“Your honor,” said D.A. Willis. “In the interest of time, motion to simplify the listing of charges to ‘operating as the Batwoman’?”

Snyder raised a brow. “Motion denied. As, I was saying, you are charged with...”

 

* * *

 

 

_“…multiple dozens of counts of vigilantism, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, grand theft, assaulting a federal agent, assaulting an officer of the law, battery, treason, resisting arrest…”_

Renee downed the rest of her coffee as she walked across the bullpen to Allen’s desk, keeping one ear on the trial at all times. Half the monitors in Central were streaming it, and if they weren’t, they had their phones. “G’morning, Allen.”

“Morning, Montoya. To what do I owe your grand trek across the room?” he said, gesturing with his cup.

Renee snorted. “I overheard something about a betting pool starting up in Homicide on my way in. Have any idea if that’s true or not?”

He raised a brow. “The hell are you asking me for? I don’t gamble.”

“No, but you _are_ observant. So?”

“... _aiding and abetting wanted criminals, terrorism, vandalism, arson, assault, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, burglary, trespassing, breaking and entering, larceny, smuggling illegal substances, embezzlement…”_

Allen shrugged. “Yeah, I might’ve heard something about that. Talk to Romy. Pretty sure she’s collecting MCU cash. Or maybe it’s somebody’s birthday.” He narrowed his eyes. “You _do_ know what the odds are against her, right? Hell, you lead the case.”

Renee smirked. “I do, and I did. But I can’t help but root for the underdog.” She cleared her throat. “Romy!” she called from across the room. “Put it all on red!”

Romy poked her head out from the break room. “All of _what_?”

“My OT from the past two weeks.”

“Your funeral, Montoya!”

_“...and conspiracy to commit treason.”_

“All of that for one lousy pun.” Allen just stared at her. “Are you _insane_?”

“Good question.”

 

* * *

 

“How does the defendant plead?”

“N---” Kate’s lips stopped moving of their own accord, and she started mouthing something unmistakeable---‘I’m Batwoman’. Memories of the riot flashed through her mind, of the few seconds she’d stood frozen in front of Nocturna. Of course. Even _she_ had a contingency.

“I need to enter a plea, Miss Kane.”

Kate held her breath, denying her throat to speak the words that would destroy her. Her head started to split open, her resistance being punished by pain that only grew more severe. Almost unbearable. But she just had to focus on a singular thing. One thought, one idea.

Her blood, her heritage, her lineage, her _faith._

“Miss Kane?”

Kate gasped for breath, as if she’d nearly drowned. She coughed and wiped the sweat from her brow. “I apologize for the delay. I needed to fend off a post-hypnotic suggestion.” She cleared her throat. “ _Not guilty._ ”

Rachel scribbled a few things down in her notebook.

“Very well. The court will now hear the defense’s opening statement. Counselor Green?”

Rachel stood from her seat, her posture straightening as if she could fight a hurricane. And win. “As you have all just witnessed, those of you in the jury, in the stands, and at home, my client is a victim of repeated abusive mental control. Today, she was able to break that control, but that was not always the case. Katherine Kane is accused of operating as the Batwoman, and all the crimes associated with such an act. I will make this very simple: She is not _the_ Batwoman…”

 

* * *

 

 

_"...I’m sure you all remember our grave error in convicting former police Commissioner James Gordon for manslaughter not so long ago, and I claim, with the utmost confidence, that we are once again in that same situation…._

“All I’m saying is that it _looks_ like the Calabreses are making a play for Lucky Hand’s territory,” said Renee, tracing her finger around Chinatown. “Or maybe they’re just trying to get into the harder drug trade...”

“Calabreses don’t deal in heroin,” said Harvey. “Racketeering, sure. Coke, yeah. Maybe even a little human trafficking, but heroin? I just don’t see it.”

Renee snorted. “You think the mafia is too good for that?”

“No, I think they’re too smart. Heroin junkies have a _way_ higher OD rate than any other drug on the market. You can’t make any money if your consumer base is _dead,”_ he said, rubbing his fingers together in the universal gesture for ‘cash’.

“ _...We have an individual who was forced to act against her will, to become someone she was not, at the behest of a very literal monster. The very same monster who slaughtered over four hundred people in Blackgate just last month for the sole admitted purpose of reaquiring total domination over my client…”_

“Not if they’re _also_ funding the clinics to help the addicts,” added Allen, passing by the board and leaning against her desk beside Bullock.

Renee just looked at him. “You must understand how little sense that makes.”

He shrugged. “Hey, perfect cover. And somebody’s got to poke the bear to find the fancy conspiracies.”

_“...The Kanes have no family history of mental illness. My client’s criminal record simply does not exist. She enlisted in the armed forces to serve her country, was days away from graduating at the top of her class from West Point, but was unjustly expelled due to her sexuality. She is a pillar in this community, spending countless hours working with LGBTQIA+ youth programs to ensure that children like her are never denied the opportunities and sense of comradery that was taken from her. She is also, in spite of her trauma, a woman of the jewish faith. To accuse her of spending her nights as a vigilante is not only insulting, but it ignores the larger problem at hand....”_

“...you heard about my D.E.O. theory, didn’t you?”

Allen smirked through his coffee. “I did, Renee. Ace detective work.”

Harvey laughed.

_“...Katherine Rebecca Kane is a victim. Of rape, abuse, violent anti-semitism, supernatural psychological control, and the criminal justice system. To borrow my client’s own words, in less than four hours of being approached by the police, she was beaten to a pulp, electrocuted, threatened, and denied access to her attorney. In the city’s rush to convict one of our masked heroes, they committed a grievous hate crime without a second thought, and with the exception of a handful of journalists, swept it under the rug…”_

Renee glanced at the TV, watching the lawyer work the room. “I wonder what the ratings are for this is. 60%? Maybe, what, ten million viewers?”

“Way more than that if you count streaming. Think eighty million,” said Allen. “Minimum. And that number is just going to grow as the day goes by.”

Harvey whistled. “Super Bowl doesn’t get much more than that.”

“Twenty million is still quite a bit more Harvey.” Renee furrowed her brow. Internationally broadcasted, live. _That_ was why the press wasn’t barred from court. Kate wanted as many witnesses as possible. But, to _what_? “The city should’ve sold commercial time. Could’ve made a mint.”

_“...To myself, my client, and her friends and family, that is unacceptable. If the people of Gotham wish to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my client is the Batwoman, then they need to acknowledge the events surrounding this case as whole, as it is just as relevant, if not more so, than any piece of evidence the prosecution attempts to twist. Remember, the formal accusation was first given by Natalia Mitternacht, aforementioned literal monster, who confessed to the murder of her step daughter on camera, and by extension many others. That video is the prosecution’s entire foundation, for without it, there would be no case...”_

Allen scoffed. “The mayor would just embezzle it. There’s not much of a point.”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

 

* * *

 

Rachel approached the jury and looked out to the audience, along with the cameras. “As this trial progresses, I ask that all of you keep something in mind. The last time my client appeared in court, she was still bleeding, covered head to toe in bruises, had several cracked ribs, and was standing in her own urine soaked underwear. And almost _no one_ considered that to be wrong.”

“Prosecution, we will now hear your opening statement,” said Snyder.

Rachel retook her seat next to Kate and looked over her notes. “I’d just like to remind you that this was the _first_ time I’ve ever gotten stage directions from a client.”

“You wouldn’t have agreed if they weren’t good,” said Kate.

Willis rose from her desk and buttoned her jacket, stepping out in the aisle.  “We live in an era where caped crusaders are commonplace. The GCPD recently enlisted one of their own to fill a void left by our first. Whether or not we need them is irrelevant. It doesn’t matter if they’re altruistic. It doesn’t matter how many lives they save, or how many cases they solve. They are not, nor have they ever been, above the law. Morality is not on trial today; just one woman. The Batwoman. And the sheer amount of evidence pointing to that conclusion is just as long, if not longer, than the list of her crimes…”

Kate leaned toward Rachel. “How is the fake Batman relevant to this?” she whispered.

“He isn’t. It’s misdirection. She wants the jury to recognize the larger implications of a masked vigilante going to trial,” she said. “Corrupt any goodwill they had towards the concept.”

Willis turned to glare down at Kate, who met her gaze, apathetic. “This is a woman with comprehensive military training far beyond even that of a Green Beret, and whom received accolades for her peak physical agility in gymnastics. Her family's massive wealth and her father’s black ops connections grants her every access to the equipment and tools the Batwoman is documented in using. The D.E.O.’s presence and subsequent departure from Gotham coincide with the supposed resurrection of Elizabeth Kane, the defendant’s twin sister, who was thought to have been killed by kidnappers nearly twenty years ago.”

Kate looked back at Beth, who just shrugged. How the hell had they put that together? Sure, Beth’s ‘return’ was now public knowledge, but to narrow down the timeframe so much...either Chase turned, which she wouldn’t, or they had another source. In fact, there shouldn’t even _be_ a connection between the D.E.O. and Beth.  

“Miss Kane has a long history of unexplained absences during the night, when she is said to be ‘out on the town’. Her excursions out of the country coalesce with Batwoman sightings at her destination. The timeline of her relationship with Natalia Mitternacht, from beginning to end, matches up nearly perfectly to that of reports of the Batwoman violently threatening Mitternacht’s past step daughters across the city, as well as the murder of Alexandra Witherspoon.”

Kate crossed her arms. Circumstantial, and predictable.

“We are not arguing the matter of whether or not the defendant was under the psychic influence of Mitternacht; we collectively know this to be true. But that, of course, does not excuse the fact that she _is_ a vigilante by night. Briefly manipulated, but she donned the cape and cowl _long_ before ever meeting Mitternacht.”

“Silver platter,” whispered Rachel.

“The people of Gotham want transparency and accountability from their city, and today we intend to give them exactly that. Katherine Rebecca Kane _is_ the Batwoman. She has been operating in plain sight for years, and while it is a great tragedy regarding the circumstances surrounding this case, it does not change the fact that we are dealing with a woman who is, in the eyes of the law, a criminal mastermind.”

“So entered,” said Snyder, adjusting his glasses. “You may proceed.”

Willis folded her hands behind her back. “The prosecution presents exhibit A. A three minute, twenty-two second video live streamed to the GCPD on April 26th.” One of her assistants wheeled out a large TV and played the recording.

Kate looked away and did her best to ignore the sounds of her own, delusional voice. The creak of her boots on hardwood flooring, the venom that Natalia spewed from her lips, and the crackling of the fireplace just _screaming_ ‘evil vampire’ so loudly it made her feel even more like a fool. But it wasn’t her fault. Mind control was very real, and very well documented.

Still, none of that stopped it from hurting.

“As you can all plainly see, Batwoman responds to the name ‘Kate’ and ‘Katey’. Taking into account her voice print, skin tone, physical stature, partial facial features...”

 

* * *

 

 

Maggie looked over at Barbara, who _appeared_ to be rapt at attention. But she knew better. That kid--- _graduate student_ \---never forgot a thing, which also meant she didn’t really need to be paying that close attention. As for herself, she’d run this case through her head so many times that actually seeing it done was...strange.

Sure, she’d done that before over the years, but nothing had ever been quite so personal. It probably didn’t help that she was, for the first time ever, rooting for the guilty party to _win._ She’d never go dirty, so this was most likely the closest she’d ever get.

Curiously, though, the kid with the blue-purple hair, Harper, was _glued_ to the performance. As if it were a matter of life and death. Were Barbara and Dinah here to support Harper? Or were they all just along for the ride?

“...easily conclude that the camera woman is, in all likelihood, Elizabeth Kane, and that the Batwoman in the video is Katherine Kane.  Both of whom’s signed testimonies indicate that they have no recollection of this incident, when they have _both_ exhibited signs of memory loss and manipulation in the past...”

Okay. The next move they’d make would be video conference with Nocturna. Short interview; mostly just asking for confirmation of what had been stated. Then, she’d rant about something crazy and discredit herself just enough before they cut the feed.

At least, that’s what made the most sense.

The television switched over to a stream of Nocturna, bound in Arkham by wards, with Detective Corrigan standing just to her side. _“Oh, is it time already?”_ she said, her words muffled behind a large muzzle. “ _I’d touch a bible, but that’s a bit out of the question…”_

Corrigan frowned and glared at her. “ _Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, under pains and penalties of perjury?”_

“ _I do.”_ said Nocturna.

“Excellent.” said Willis. “Mrs. Mitternacht, could you please confirm for the court who was in your penthouse on the night in question?”

“ _Katherine Kane, my lover_ \---”

“Don’t you _dare_ call me that, you monster!” snapped Kate.

“Objection, your honor,” said Rachel. “The witness is clearly antagonizing my client with the express intent to lessen her credibility in the eyes of the jury.”

“Sustained,” said Snyder. “Mrs. Mitternacht, you will refrain from this course of action, or I will be forced to strike your testimony from the record.”

_“Fine. Katherine Kane was the individual in the batsuit. Elizabeth Kane, was the camera woman.”_

“Thank you,” said Willis, walking to the other side of the monitor. “Now, there has been some debate as to the actions of the defendant during the Blackgate riot, but in your testimony you claimed to have witnessed her movements first-hand. You also claim that _she,_ not Bane or the Batman as the rest of the reports insist, was the one to take you down.”

_“She was! Bane was weak, as was that fool in the robotic suit! She lured me into the showers, ankle deep in water, with her two vigilante friends and tried to kill me with Bloody Mary!”_

“For those who don’t recall, Bloody Mary, also known as Mary Worth, was documented as one of Medusa’s many seemingly mythological allies during her invasion of Gotham,” said Willis. “Please continue, Mrs. Mitternacht.”

“ _Thank you. Bullets, explosives, and other non-magic weaponry weren’t enough to breach my skin, so Katey there was clever. She summoned Bloody Mary, who possesses claws sharpened by magic, and tricked her into shredding me from head to toe while I was stunned by her friend’s giant taser gun. In the end, it didn’t work. As soon as Kate dispelled Mary Worth, I fed on her, attempting to re assert my dominance, but_ that _didn’t work either.”_

“What happened next?”

“ _She set me on fire, repeatedly, with some sort of floating talking arrowhead, and shot me in the eyes and mouth with a shotgun until my energy was drained. All while ranting like a lunatic about faith and the power of blood! I was a victim of systematic torture!”_

“Can you recall anything specific? What she said to you?”

“ _Only a few words._ I am judgement; gevurah made flesh. I am Batwoman.”

Maggie’s eyes widened. Did she...did she _prepare_ that? Spur of the moment? Regardless, it was easy to imagine how she said it. And it was _terrifying_.

Willis cleared her throat. “Accuracy in firearms and access to cutting-edge, seemingly impossible technology. Skills and equipment the Batwoman most certainly has. And an explicit confession to top it all off.” She sat down at her desk. “No further questions, your honor.”

“Very well. Counselor Green, would the defense like to cross-examine the witness?”

Rachel rose from her seat. “We would, your honor.” She approached the television, glaring down at the monster. “The tale you’ve told is rather extraordinary, and quite damning for you.

The after-action report of the riot states that nearly two-hundred people, inmates and officers alike, ambushed you in the mess hall with several thousand rounds of ammunition just before the incident in the showers. You survived, effectively unharmed, and you’re claiming that my client...set you on fire? With some sort of talking, hovering arrowhead, yes?”

_“Yes, I already answered that.”_

“Was there anyone else in the room that can corroborate this?”

“ _Not unless you can get her masked friends, or Bane, to take the stand.”_

“Masked friends.” Rachel pulled out a stack of photos from her bag and displayed them to the jury, before bringing them into Nocturna’s field of view. “Would it happen to be any of these?”

_“That’s them! And they watched, and did nothing! Black Canary---”_

“Poser,” muttered Dinah.

Barbara snickered and covered her mouth.

“--- _Batgirl, Hawkfire, Bluebird and Spoiler!”_

“And who were the ones that lured you into the trap?” asked Rachel.

“ _Bluebird and Hawkfire._ ”

“Interesting.” She set the photos back on her desk. “You’ve mentioned being set on fire and electrocuted. Those are the _exact same_ capabilities that these specific vigilantes are respectively known to have.” She folded her hands behind her back. “Isn’t it possible that, in your pained state, you mistook the defendant’s ‘supernatural’ abilities for mundane technology being operated by others who were present?”

 _“No, of course not! I remember it perfectly_.”

Barbara rolled her eyes.

“That’s quite an odd statement to make, Mrs. Mitternacht, as you yourself just moments ago admitted explicitly that you were having trouble recalling what it was that my client supposedly said to you during this encounter.” Rachel picked up a file off of her desk. “Now, CSI reported that eight shells from a Remington M870 were fired in that room, along with a single round from an AR-15, and one from an M9 directly into your heart. That’s ten shots. Ballistics confirmed that the shooter was of the defendant’s height and build, with the exception of the rifle round, which was inconclusive despite my client’s fingerprints on each of the weapons in question.”

“ _What’s your point?_ ”

“My _point,_ ma’am, is that the angle and trajectory of the shots in question suggest that many were fired _into your brain through your eyes sockets._ In fact, the shrapnel was still festering inside of your temporal lobe when the coroner opened you up, as you are, for all intents and purposes, _dead._ ” She tapped her forehead. “Now, I don’t know about anyone else, but if I were shot several times in the head, I’d imagine that would cause at least a few memory problems.”

“ _I’m a vampire. That doesn’t apply_.”

Maggie raised her brows. Proving that their key witness wasn’t fit to testify while simultaneously casting doubt on the trial in general, _and_ reintegrating memory problems into the narrative of the defense---Willis was way out of her depth with Green, that was for sure.

Rachel shrugged. “Well, since I’m no expert on the physiology or neuroscience of the undead, I suppose it’s up to the jury to decide whether or not such a statement is accurate. Moving on…” She walked to the other side of the television. “It’s my understanding that you had my client, who you assert is the Batwoman, under your psychic influence, for six months in total, is that correct?”

_“That’s an oversimplification, but yes.”_

“And in that time, you manipulated her into doing whatever you saw fit, yes?”

_“Again, that is what happened.”_

“I see.” Rachel paused a moment. “If that’s true, which I believe it is, how can you know for sure that she was the Batwoman?”

_“Because their blood, and minds, tasted the same! I saw her memories!”_

“Do you have any other evidence? None of that is admissible.”

_“I---no, I don’t, but it doesn’t matter! She overplayed her hand during the rioting! She couldn’t allow all of those people, no matter how much evil was among them, to die! The masks worked with her! YOU ALL SAW IT! IT’S OVER, KATE! I DON’T LOSE MY TOYS! YOU CAN’T---”_

Rachel turned off the screen. “Judge Snyder, motion to declare Natalia Mitternacht unfit to testify on the grounds of severe mental instability, impaired memory function, and the fact that she is a co-conspirator in a number of these alleged crimes?”

Snyder furrowed his brow. “Motion carries, but her testimony as it is now remains.” He banged his gavel. “Counselor Willis, your next witness?”

Willis glared at Rachel for a brief moment. “Yes. The prosecution calls Cameron Chase to the stand.”

Kate sat up straight as Chase was sworn in and took her seat. Okay. Time to see where Willis had made a connection between Beth and the D.E.O. It had to have been hearsay. Rumors, _maybe._ Nothing that couldn’t be easily discredited.

“Counselor Willis,” said Chase. “I would just like to remind you that I cannot, and _will not_ , reveal any information that may jeopardize national security. To do so would be treason, and though I no longer work for the government, I’m not about to put lives at risk.” She crossed my arms. “It’s not my job to do that, anymore.”

“I understand that, Miss Chase,” said Willis, approaching the stand. “We have records, mostly redacted, that you supplied to the GCPD that you believed were relevant to this case, correct?”

“I did. As the Batwoman is no longer employed by the Department of Extranormal Operations, her actions are no longer sanctioned by the government, which means she is, as she was before, a criminal. To deny you this information would have been immoral and obstruction of justice, at the least.”

“Do you know the identity of the Batwoman?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny any knowledge of the Batwoman’s identity.”

“But you _did_ lead an investigation into unmasking her.”

“That is correct.”

“Were you successful in your mission?”

“According to my superiors at the time? Yes. In my personal opinion, I failed. A _successful_ mission would have ensured the Batwoman was an agent for life, not a damn freelancer.”

“A freelancer. How exactly did you convince an outside agent, a vigilante, to operate with the D.E.O.?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny any alleged methodology involved in the process the Batwoman was employed.”

“Can you confirm the names of the possible Batwomen in your investigation?”

“I can. They were, as I submitted in my report, Margaret Sawyer, Helena Bertinelli, though that one was _way_ off, Katherine Kane, Sasha Bordeaux, and Katherine Spencer.”

“This list, was it accurate?”

“Again, I can neither confirm nor deny any knowledge to this line of questioning.”

“You mentioned you _employed_ the Batwoman. How did you compensate her?”

“Nothing monetary. Leaving a money trail would have been amateur. We supplied her with equipment, bleeding edge; the kind of tech _Batman_ would’ve only dreamt about. That, and intel, logistical support. Everything she’d need to be an effective field agent.”

“Could you give us any specifics regarding her equipment?”

“I can. The most noteworthy piece we’d given her was an _exponentially_ more advanced batsuit. Designed with her in mind, of course, but certified to be nigh-impregnable. Thermite, acid, high explosives, electricity, ludicrous levels of kinetic damage; you could fire an anti-material rifle into that thing’s chest and, worst case scenario, it’d crack a few ribs from the _impact.”_

“Anything else?”

“Fear gas, anti-Tetch contact lenses, a host of AR, VR and enhanced vision suites for the helmet.” She crooked her lips to the side. “Taser gloves, blackout bombs; look the list is _very long_ and if I go any further I’m leaking classified information.”

“Very well. Do you have any knowledge of the ‘hovering arrowhead’ that Mitternacht spoke of?”

Chase scoffed. “I’m fairly certain that _Green Arrow_ is the one with the bow.”

“Answer the question.”

“A hovering _arrowhead_? No.”

Willis smirked and took her seat. “No further questions.”

Kate wrinkled her nose and looked back at Beth. Nothing about the D.E.O. or the Religion of Crime. Or... _any_ of that. Willis wasn’t sloppy, so something was missing. But what was it?

“Counselor Green?” said Snyder.

Rachel stood and buttoned her jacket. “Yes, thank you, your honor. Miss Chase…” She cleared her throat, approaching her. “You mentioned a very advanced suit of armor as among the equipment supplied to the Batwoman, correct?”

Chase nodded. “That is correct.”

“Were you aware of anything that _could_ breach this armor?”

“Sure. Magic, for one. We didn’t have anyone on staff who knew how to make permanent wards, or however you protect against mystic things. Even then, magic’s slippery. There’s no science in it. Because it’s _magic._ ”

“Anything else?”

“Amazonian steel, or its equivalent; we had an incident with that during our Anti-Medusa operation. Cut through the suit like it was wet paper.”

“So, would it be safe to say that it’s impossible for a regular throwing knife to accomplish the same thing?”

“Absolutely.”

“And how would you describe the Batwoman’s abilities in hand-to-hand combat?”

“Beyond masterful. We wouldn’t have recruited her otherwise.”

Rachel smiled. “Excellent. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, could you take a look at two short clips of footage?” she said, motioning for the TV set to be rolled back into position.

Chase shrugged. “Sure.”

Rachel played the live-streamed video once again, and Kate looked away. She’d already watched it far too many times. “How would you describe the Batwoman’s movements in that footage?”

“Lumbering, cumbersome, and _incredibly_ unlike every previous performance I’ve witnessed.”

“Good. And this next clip, exhibit B, was compiled from online videos and GCPD surveillance.” She played it, and it wasn’t anything particularly important. Just Kate, in her suit, flowing like water. And getting shot, stabbed with knives and...oh. _Oh._ Right! “What’s the biggest difference you notice?”

Chase raised a brow. “That the second piece of video you showed me didn’t star an ametuer? For one, the Batwoman in the first clip got her suit cut open by---what, a tiny throwing knife? If it was sharp enough, her _old_ suit could easily have been breached like that. But not the new one, unless it was magic.”

Rachel motioned to one of her clerks, who brought out a transparent bag. With one of Beth’s throwing knives in it. Scorched, but there. “Exhibit C. A throwing knife, matching the description and appearance of those seen in the recording. And _recovered_ from what’s left of Mitternacht’s penthouse. Mundane metal.” She rewound the first video.

 _“If you’re undead, then why are you bleeding?_ ”

“Do you want me to claim that the Batwoman was wearing her old suit, which to be blunt was built like a knock-off of a knock-off, for some stupid reason?” asked Chase. “Because if you are, I am. That’s _not_ the one we gave her.”

“Good. How difficult would you say it is for someone to fabricate their own Batwoman suit, without all the bells and whistles?”

“Just the look of it? Apparently, very easily. There was an entire Religion of Crime training facility we raided comprised almost entirely of women _dressed as the Batwoman._ She’s some religious figure to them, for some reason.”

Kate exhaled. Okay. That was the connection. Strange that Rachel was the one to bring it up, and not Willis.

Rachel smiled. “Thank you, Miss Chase. No further questions.”

Chase got off the stand and walked back to her seat, staring straight ahead. First piece of the puzzle down. Only a few more to go.

“The prosecution calls Robert Todd to the stand,” said Willis.

Kate furrowed her brow, searching desperately for a face to the name. She looked over at Rachel, who looked over at her with the same expression of concern. “Did we ever find out who that is?” she whispered.

“No, but it must be something tangential,” said Rachel.

The courtroom doors swung open and the press mob gasped, screamed and scattered out of the aisle, to make way for---Oh God. A black skeleton in a suit, slowly walking to the front of the room with a cane.

Bones. _Bones_. How the hell was he up!? How was he lucid!? He was shot through the head! In one end and out the other! Maybe he was delusional. She turned around back to the pews and found Cameron Chase, who looked just as mortified as she did.

“Just give me a moment, counselor,” said Bones, waving to everyone in attendance. “Agent Chase! Everything going well with the gumshoe job, I hope?”

“Eat shit and die, you delusional megalomaniac!” snapped Chase.

“Mister Todd, you are not allowed to address the court before you under oath.” said Snyder. “Please refrain from---”

“Hah! Sharp as ever. Oh, and kids…” He cleared his throat, passing by Maggie, who was pale as a ghost. “...it’d be a pretty bad idea to try and help me like an old man, by the way. This medical condition of mine makes my sweat and skin oils basically cyanide. Best to just look, and don’t touch.” He grinned at Kate, or at least she _thought_ he did. “Hey, sis. It’s been a while. You look good.”

Snyder scowled. “Mister Todd, I am asking you to---”

Kate gaped. Not _that_ again. “Everyone _else_ sees the talking skeleton, right?!” Ah. Aha. Hah. Oh fuck.

“Now, that’s just hurtful, sis. I’m not a skeleton. Just so happens that everything _besides_ that is transparent!”

“Mister Todd!” said Snyder, raising his voice and banging his gavel. “One more step out of line and I will remove you from this court!”

Bones raised his palms, placating.

“Your honor!” said Rachel, rising from her seat. “You can’t seriously expect us to take the testimony of a self-proclaimed _living chemical weapon_ , can you? And I’m nowhere near prepared for this witness! I was only supplied with a _name---_ ”

“Oh, don’t start with that, Rachel!” snapped Willis. “You had no problem picking apart a damn _vampire_! You had every opportunity to dig for this guy; we’ve got Chase on our side, after all. Did you think we wouldn’t try and go over her head, too?”

“Are you out of your mind?” Rachel scowled. “You just admitted that you _purposefully withheld_ vital information from myself, and my client, in regards to a key witness!” She looked up at Snyder. “Motion for a mistrial---”

Snyder looked at her for a long moment. “Denied.”

Rachel’s eyes widened. “Your honor, this is a clear and obvious breach of---”

“ _Denied_ , Counselor.”

“Scott, you can’t seriously---”

“I can, and I have, Ms. Green. Motion denied.”

Willis scoffed. “Your honor, you have my utmost assurance that Mister Todd is no threat to anyone in this room. As I told you before the trial, we’ve treated what little exposed ‘skin’ of his with a compound that neutralizes his natural secretions for the next eight hours.”

“Counselor Green,” said Snyder. “Despite your protests, any and all relevant perspectives must be heard. Counselor Willis has taken all necessary precautions to allow Mister Todd---”

“You can just call me, Bones,” said Bones. “It’s less confusing.”

“Noted. Bones will testify. This is not up to debate.”

Rachel stared up at Snyder for a moment. “Very well.” She sat down and started sifting through her notes.

“If he says _anything,_ it’s classified, and inadmissible,” whispered Kate.

“Katherine. Let me do my job.”

“Right. Sorry.”

“Kate,” said Beth, grabbing her shoulder.

Kate’s eyes widened. Oh. Oh God. Fort Richards. The Religion of Crime. Bones could leak _everything._ Or...maybe he’d just spout it. Didn’t have any actual proof. “Just...just remember what we talked about, Beth.”

Bones settled himself down at the stand and cracked his neck. “Okay. Hit me with your best shot, Willis. I’ve been _itching_ to talk about this.”

Willis crossed her arms and approached him. “Do you know the Batwoman’s identity?”

“Absolutely.”

“Is she in this room?”

“Yes.”

“Can you point her out.”

“Gladly.” Bones pointed at Kate. “Katherine Rebecca Kane is, and always has been, the Batwoman.”

The press and audience exploded yet again, for some reason. Why were they gasping or really surprised at all? The case was literally about her _possibly_ being the Batwoman.

Willis smirked. “Good. And how did you come about this information?”

“That’s a fun story. See, turns out her young cousin, Mary Kane, better known as Bette, is a costumed vigilante, too! Guess it runs in the family.” He said, resting his hands on his cane. “Used to be Firebird. Teen Titan, when she was younger. Now she goes by the name _Hawkfire._ ”

“What does this have to do with your discovery of Batwoman’s identity?”

“Everything. Bette was the one who outed her. Cameron Chase, who was strangely tight lipped about this, found her bleeding out in an alleyway. Disemboweled by a giant hook.” He shrugged. “We brought her to a medical facility, used her blood-loss induced delirium to convince her she was in a hospital, that she was dying, and asked her who we should call.”

“And what did she say?”

“Kate Kane, who was number three on our list of possible Batwomen, just like Chase said.” Bones chuckled. “Funny how it all comes together, eh?”

 

* * *

 

 _“...already went ahead and compared the medical records at Gotham General to the information supplied by Bones. They match up almost perfectly…”_ said Willis

“That’s a skeleton,” said Renee, staring wide-eyed down at her phone. “A skeleton is testifying.”

“Yeah. _Weird,_ ” said Harvey, looking over her shoulder. “I’m okay with vampire, but this is just...there’s some line here, I’ll tell yah that.”

Renee covered her mouth as the projected pictures of Bette Kane’s extensive scarring and injuries. “Oh my God. She should be dead. That looks like _Zsaz-level_ mutilation.”

“Don’t even joke about that, Renee,” said Gordon, slipping into his batsuit. “There’s no comparison to that lunatic.”

“ _...don’t even get me started on the Religion of Crime…”_ said Bones.

“Hey, weren’t they some kind of super cult?” asked Harvey, scratching his head. “Intergang, smuggling, yeah? You mentioned them a little while back.”

“ _...see, good old Pop over there covered up the terrorist attack, so he wouldn’t get himself convicted for funding a vigilante and tons of other damning stuff..._

“Sounds about right,” said Renee. “Worked some cases on them before. The one with the brothel was one of the later ones.”

_“...hovering arrowhead? You must mean that crazy throwing dart. Yeah, that’s a slice of sentient A.I. It’s self-propelled, listens to voice commands; does pretty much everything. It can set stuff on fire, electrocute them, use a sonic cry. It’s very effective. That’s probably why Kate stole that on her way out…”_

“Wow. What, you got a history with them?”

“You could say that.”

 

* * *

 

“...which leads me all the way back to Medusa, which, as I’m sure everyone remembers, was a very publicly successful D.E.O. operation,” finished Bones. He leaned back in his chair, and looked...gleeful? It was hard to tell.

Maggie licked the inside of her lips and calmed her breath. Kate had looked shocked upon seeing him again, so if she had to guess, he wasn’t part of the plan. But surely nothing he said could be corroborated, excluding the tiny bits that _mostly_ coalesced with what Chase had been saying. She looked to Barbara, Dinah, Harper, and Stephanie...who were in various states of confusion, disgust, horror, and anger. Specifically in that order.

It _had_ to be treason. The amount of information he’d leaked not only shot the government’s feet clean off, but implicated himself in just as many crimes as Kate _and_ Beth, if not more. Unless they planned to pardon him.

Was the D.E.O. granting him immunity just to take Kate down? Could they be so petty?

“No further questions, your honor,” said Willis. “Go on, Rachel. Knock ‘em dead.”

Rachel scowled at her and marched up to Bones. “Is there literally _anything,_ anything at all, aside from those tiny bits and pieces you plucked from Chase, from all of that, that can be corroborated? Can you prove even one of those statements? Because as of now, all we have is your word.”

Bones shrugged. “Green, look, I’ve been doing this for a _long_ time. Funny thing about the law is, most of the time, you really don’t need to prove that much to get what you want.” He tilted his head. “Really, how _else_ could I have known all of this if it wasn’t true?”

“That’s not admissible.”

“Think what you want. We both know I’m right.”

Rachel furrowed her brow. “Were you, or were you not disavowed by the D.E.O.?”

“I was, and I only found out after waking up from that coma. That was just hurtful. But hey, so was Chase!”

“Yes, she was. But her credibility is restored due to the unclassified records she submitted to evidence. Everything she said can be corroborated. _She_ has a paper trail. You have your mouth.”

“Guess we’ll see about that, huh?”

Rachel smirked. “I suppose we will.” She pivoted and folded her hands behind her back. “Judge Snyder, motion to throw out Mister Bones’s entire testimony on the grounds that he is _clearly_ all but admitting his total lack of legitimacy, and for the jury to disregard any and all of his statements entirely.”

Snyder took a deep breath and massaged his temple. He looked almost...pained? Guilty, even. “Motion...motion denied.”

Rachel turned to glare at him. “Your honor, did you not----”

“ _Denied,_ Counselor.”

“For what it’s worth, Rachel…” Bones leaned forward in his seat. “I think you’re doing a _fantastic_ job.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE BONES! YEAH. HIS REAL NAME IS ROBERT TODD. LOOK IT UP. I had to take a little bit of artistic license (that can be explained away as Gotham's Judicial System is corrupt as hell and broken) with the trial proceedings, most notably that Chase and Maggie are in the audience before they testify. But, this whole thing takes place over the course of a single day, and that rarely bothers me in movies and TV, since stretching it out realistically over weeks months and years is EXHAUSTING. 
> 
> Writing the trial itself was extremely fun for me, since semantics, technicalities, and procedures are my bread and butter. It's like Futurama. "You are technically correct. The best kind of correct!" Getting to just dig into everything that's been set up, hinted at, teased, and otherwise explored through the lens of the common law was a great payoff for me personally, and I hope it was for you reading it, too! 
> 
> There's not really a lot to say about this chapter, to be perfectly honest. I know, that sounds crazy, coming from me, but it's all very straightforward. I guess Cris Allen actually interacting with Renee is a great thing that I loved doing, plus the reference to Valentine's run on Catwoman (the Calabrese), Renee's "new" outfit taking nods from her Question costume during 52, and her more modern civilian wear. Plus the inherent sexism in calling Kate's trial "Decade" and not Century, but that was pretty specifically pointed out. Oh, and just a reminder: 
> 
> This should never have gone to court. There is NOWHERE near enough evidence to charge Kate with anything, and make it stick, let alone convicting her as the Batwoman. Rachel Green is dead on in her attempts to throw a lot of what happens out, as in a normal trial, it would be. But...this isn't a normal trial. This is Gotham, even more corrupt than normal, and the entire world is watching. And even if they violate all of these procedures and rules and such, it would still take YEARS for an investigation to go through all of it, and in the meantime Kate would be locked up in Arkham, so Nocturna still wins. Unless she escapes and abandons her identity as Kate Kane, like in Bruce Wayne: Fugitive but that's...no. Thats dumb. 
> 
> As for Tec Comics this week:  
> -If Tim was gonna die, he'd do it mid-sentence before the issue ended  
> -I'm frustrated that Jacob asked God to make sure his "girl" is safe, not "Girls". ie Beth. I think I know WHY he said that, and it's complicated (it harkens back to his reasoning that it wasn't really Beth that fell from the plane, as Beth died long ago), not to mention Kate's "I feel like I don't have any family left", which I mean that one's not nearly as bad. It's supposed to reinforce that Bruce/Kate familial relationship, and I ADORE every other part of that conversation (even if it's verbatim to what I imagined it would be) and I also get that slotting in "It's just me and my sister now" or something like that, or, hell, somehow mentioning Bette---there's a way to do it, but it wouldn't have the same impact as this does, so you can probably throw this one up to Kate having more tunnel vision (that happens) and her relationship with her father having been the most historically strong and nurturing during her life.   
> -Ironically, the fact that Jacob says he's never been a religious man doesn't bother me at all. I don't consider myself religious, and we already know he stopped going to services after he sent Kate off to train with the Murder of Crows. At least until Bette nearly died and he talked to Catherine's Rabbi. I doubt Kate would describe herself as religious, either, so that's just fine by me. The fact that it's even acknowledged, (and the fact that he doesn't do something super Christian or whatever), is good on its own.   
> -Once again, Jacob proves he's not a villain by not calling Kate's bluff as she stands atop a target building, and doesn't let the General put her and Bruce on the top of the target list. He's NOT willing to chance her getting hurt, if he has a say in it. And that say so much, EVEN NOW, as she's directly fighting him.   
> -That helicarrier is totally going to crash in the bay, which will make it the second large aircraft to do that recently (haha), but I'm worried Jacob will go down with the ship. A good subversion of that would be to have Kate, even after all of this, save his life. Because he taught her to be BETTER, and she is.   
> -The League of Shadows is real and even though the Colony's methods that night were too far...who knows how many will die as a result of their failure.   
> -Bruce's little aside as "I always thought it was weird that your dad was a Colonel in Gotham that didn't really do anything but still had crazy connections..." which is so unintentionally funny because... YEAH. THAt'S REALLY WEIRD WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. There's like one mention of him being deployed, but...he was oversight probs.
> 
> **Next Time: Stemus Simul**


	9. Stemus Simul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a reason why Kate excels at what she does. Well, there are a lot of reasons, but one in particular stands out above all the rest, and it has a lot to do with the kind of person she _isn't_ , and why that is. 
> 
> She doesn't know 127 forms of combat. She doesn't have several dozen PhD's in every conceivable academic subject in existence. She doesn't inoculate herself with every possible anti-toxin. She can't invent unfathomable gadgets and technology for extremely specific situations on the fly. She doesn't have the resources, contacts, desire, or time to keep tabs on every single person of interest or investigate everyone who could ever possibly be a threat. She is not forced by compulsion to act as a vigilante. She does not dissociate between Batwoman and Kate Kane; the mask is an effective tool and little else. 
> 
> Why does she excel? Because she cheats. Because she _always_ cheats. And that is exactly why Kate will, in the end, _always_ win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to preface this chapter by acknowledging that the cover art for it is almost entirely unedited. I just added some logos. This was the original cover solicitation of Batwoman #25 by J.H. Williams III that has never been used in any form of publication. His cover for #26, however, was used for the trade paperback release of Vol 4. I love the art here so damn much, and it actually fits with the story, so I thought, since it's never going to see the light of day in any official capacity, I may as well try do it justice and attach it to something that was inspired so powerfully by the work it represents. Hopefully, this story has justified that somewhat.
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://imgur.com/ssxVPE5)  
> 

_“...for our next witness, the prosecution calls Warden Agatha Zorbatos of Blackgate Penitentiary.”_

Renee piled into the APC and secured herself in the driver’s seat. “Harvey, you know that game isn’t that fun for me if you don’t adapt it a little, right?”

_“...we lost hundreds that night, Counselor. It was complete chaos. I’ll answer to the best of my ability, but you have to understand, that those who survived, and came into contact with the vigilantes who worked their way through my prison, most just want to forget. We’re still cleaning up the blood.”_

Harvey sat down beside her and chuckled. “Alright, alright. Uh, Wonder Woman, Black Canary, and…”

“Don’t say Batwoman.”

 _“...no, we very quickly concluded that Katherine Kane did_ not _murder a correctional officer. CSI confirmed it. While she_ did _confiscate her equipment, there’s no evidence she used lethal force until she came into contact with Natalia Mitternacht….”_

He grinned. “Batwoman.”

Renee pinched her brow and started the engine, the armored vehicle growling to life.  “ _Fine._ I’d fuck Batwoman, marry Wonder Woman and kill Black Canary.” She checked back to confirm the rest of the team had filed in and gave them a thumbs up.

_“...CCTV cameras weren’t functioning, so we don’t know the specifics. Hell, the super criminals we had locked in solitary are too terrified to give us anything. With the exception of Garfield Lynns, better known as Firefly, ranting about some kid with a mohawk swooping in and electrocuting everyone. Which does match up with what little the guards and other inmates can piece together…”_

“Okay, why would you kill Black Canary?” asked Harvey.

Renee smirked. “Because I don’t want to worry about obliterating an entire city block every time I sleep with her.”

 _“...she was running from Mitternacht. And it’s my understanding that these vigilantes protect people from psychopaths out to get them, so really_ that _part doesn’t seem strange to me. Look, whatever survival instincts or military training she’s had, it was good. Damn good enough to protect herself in that nightmare…”_

Harvey snickered. “You _would_ worry about that.” He clicked on his radio. “Team One is ready to go. Batman?”

 _“Batman is ready to deploy,”_ said Julia. “ _All systems are green.”_

“Then let’s roll out!”

 

* * *

 

“...and for our final witness, the prosecution calls Commissioner Margaret Sawyer to the stand.”

Maggie took a small breath as Barbara squeezed her shoulder. She rose from her seat and walked towards the center of the court, eying the bible in the bailiff’s hands. It always hurt. It _always_ hurt. She put her hand on the book and---

Wait. She didn’t feel sick. Her skin didn’t feel like _burning_ . But it was still the bible. It would never _not_ be the bible, but if it wasn’t flooding her with panic and illness, then how could it---nothing had changed. She was still who she was, so…

Kate. The prayer. It had to be that.

“Commissioner?” said Willis.

“Ah, yes. I apologize.” She cleared her throat. Confidence. “Please continue.”

“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” asked the bailiff.

Maggie nodded. “I do.”

“Please take the stand.”

Maggie took her seat and rested her hands in her lap.

Willis approached her, clearly looking over a rather thick file she had on her. Hooray. “Miss Sawyer, are you aware of the Batwoman’s identity?”

“I am not, no.”

“But you heard Bones’ testimony claiming that you did, yes?”

“I heard him.” Maggie frowned. “But he’s wrong. Kate Kane is a lot of things, but a crazed vigilante is not one of them.” She crossed her arms. “If you’re looking for who the liar is, maybe consider that _one_ was black balled by the federal government, and the other is focused on protecting this very city.”

“Were you aware of your inclusion on the list of the ‘possible Batwomen’?”

“I was, yes.”

“And how did you discover this?”

“Cameron Chase told me herself. She parked a freaking humvee on my jogging route at five in the morning, just to make sure she could intimidate me. She said she was looking for the Batwoman, and I was at the _top_ of her list, and asked me to contact her with information that could take me off of it.”

“Did you?”

“Yes. I caught the Batwoman rummaging through my office, while she was still working the Weeping Woman case, and before she got away, she _told me_ where she’d be. Some old boathouse by docks. So I called Chase.”

“Was this before or after you started your relationship with Katherine Kane?”

“Shortly after.”

“And how long did this relationship last?”

“A year and a half.”

“And through all that time, not _once_ did you suspect that she was the Batwoman?”

“No. I did not.”

“Even after her strange disappearances? Her unexplained absences? You never thought to question any of this?”

“Of course I did.” Maggie scowled. “I waited as long as I could to push on that because I _already knew_ the basics of what had happened to her when she was a girl. It was blatantly obvious to me that she was still suffering from severe PTSD, and while her coping skills were adequate in some ways, she’d never been properly treated for it.” She narrowed her eyes. “You can’t force someone to get help. They have to seek it out themselves.”

“And did she?”

“Yes. Then she left me thanks to some horrifying mental manipulation and unfortunate circumstances.”

Willis gave her a strange look.  “The prosecution rests.”

Maggie raised her brows as Willis walked away from the stand. What was the point of her even being called in as a witness? Possibly just to cover all of their bases, in case she slipped up, but...there had to be something else. To reinforce the divide between vigilantes and police?

Which she had just helped them do by committing perjury. Great.  

“Your honor,” said Rachel. “Motion to dismiss due to lack of evidence?”

“Motion denied,” said Snyder. “Court will now take a two hour recess. We’ll pick this back up at three.”

 

* * *

 

“Someone’s got a gun to Snyder’s head,” growled Rachel, stomping through the courthouse, with Kate and the rest of her family following close behind. “Mitternacht, keeping Bones a secret; they don’t have _anything_ concrete.”

“They have the video,” said Kate.

“That can only prove you were _there_ at the scene, which they will, not that you were the Batwoman. That was _all_ of their evidence, Katherine. They’re fully aware that Bones’s testimony won’t slide. Beyond a shadow of a doubt---” She shook her head. “I suspected this could happen going in. I _told_ all of you it was a real threat.”

“Even if they just paid off the judge, that’s not enough to force a conviction without a full investigation,” said Pop.

“Paid off? Mister Kane, I was speaking literally. Snyder can’t be bought; I know for a fact he’s turned down _millions_ out of principle,” said Rachel, dropping quarters into the coffee machine. “Someone is threatening his life. Or his family’s. Probably both.” She sighed. “No, it’s the _jury_ who we have to worry about the most. They can’t have paid off all of them, nobody ever gets that lucky. But two or three is all it would take.”

“We can always appeal, if the unthinkable should happen,” said Catherine.

“Assuming you can somehow survive a Falcone hit squad, sure. You might be able to do that. But even if you can, the damage is done.” Rachel pinched her brow. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that it’s _probably_ the D.E.O. who wants you out of the picture. Regardless of your actual guilt, as we discussed, what matters is that the city _wins_ this, and proves once and for all that vigilantes are not above the law.”

“And this is the part where you tell us you can’t fight city hall, right?” said Bette, crossing her arms.

“No. I’ve _never_ believed that, and I’ll never say it.” Rachel guzzled down the entire cup of coffee---okay _wow._ “You can. I have. I’ve won, and I’ll probably do it again.” She narrowed her eyes. “If even one more _truly relevant scrap_ of Bones’s testimony is corroborated, that was otherwise absent from Chase’s testimony, however slightly, we’re done. So I need you to tell me what can realistically be proven _in court_ , so I can defend against it.”

Kate looked between her family and scratched the back of her head. “None of it, to be honest. Without declassifying information, my dad can’t say a thing. It’s all so interwoven. Unless Willis _somehow_ managed to get a copy of the Crime Bible and spoke the word while Beth was on the stand.”

“My reaction would most likely be very compromising,” said Beth.

“Exactly. But that’s effectively impossible.” Kate crooked her lips to the side “...but just to be safe, let’s take Beth off of the list. It’s already on record that she has no recollection of the events in question, and any corroboration she could offer will just lead Willis further towards Bones.”

“Agreed,” said Beth. “And if I’m not mistaken, my testimony would have only been tangential. More of a show of family solidarity than effective.”

Rachel nodded. “You’re not wrong. What about Bones thinking you’re siblings? Any comment on that?”

Pop pinched his brow. “That’s definitely... _a story._ ”

“Then I’ll simplify. Yes, or no?”

Kate frowned. “It’s really not that clear cut.”

Rachel sighed. “Alright. Is it _relevant_ at the moment?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Then I don’t need to know.”

 

* * *

 

Renee hopped out of the APC and glared back at Harvey. “No. I’m going in, _alone,_ and you and the rest of the team are going to sit tight.”

“But then what’s the point of a drive-thru?” he asked.

“It’s for _normal_ cars!” Renee smacked the side of the armored vehicle. “Not tanks! And this is a _food truck!_ ” She slammed the door and ran a hand through her hair. “Batman, you want anything?”

 _“No thanks. I’ve got my protein bars,”_ said Gordon. “ _So, what’s this betting pool Harv is talking about?”_

“It’s just harmless levity on a stressful day.” Renee stuck her hands in her pockets and walked up to the aptly named Taco Truck. Why. _Why_ did Bullock always insist they eat here? Granted, they _were_ the best in the city, but she couldn’t eat them all the time. So damn greasy. “Nothing you need you worry about.”

“ _Uh huh. How much did you add to the pool?”_

“I plead the fifth.” She wrapped her knuckles against the side of the truck. “Sorry for the scare, Manny. Harvey’s an impatient bastard.”

Manny popped his head out from behind the counter and raised his hands. “Whatever. Just order, pay, and get out of here. That freaking tank is going to drive customers away!”

“Yeah, okay, let’s go with…” Renee smirked. “Know what? Give me five Gothamites and one _New Age Supreme_.”

“Ah. Perfect.” Manny grinned, already filling the order. “Harvey’s tab?”

“You know me so well.” She checked her phone. Court was still in recess. Damnit. “So, how’s the family?”

“My wife left me, my daughter graduated from university and moved far, far away.” He handed her a bunch of take-out bags. “Because that’s what you do when you learn just how stupid it is to live here.”

“I’d debate that, but it’s a conversation for another time.” She pivoted and gave him a wave. “See ya!”

“I should hope so! Your partner is in some serious debt!”

Renee hopped back into the APC and tossed the team their lunches, saving the last for Harvey. “Got you something special, Harv.”

“Yeah?” Harvey unwrapped the foil. He sniffed it and took a bite. “The hell is this?! There’s no meat in it!”

Renee closed the door and shrugged. “And it’s all on your tab. Everyone say thank you to Bullock for buying them lunch!”

The team laughed and Harvey just glared at her.

“Heart disease is the silent killer---”

“Can it, Montoya.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kate settled back into her seat in the courtroom, watching the rest of the audience, press, and prosecution file in along with her. Bones was still present. As were Chase and Mags. And, of course, the speed of the trial was once again _very suspicious_ , though not at all surprising. She checked her watch and bit her lip.

No. Not yet. They could still beat it.

“Case number 2734; The People of Gotham City versus Katherine Kane is back in session,” said Judge Snyder. “The defense will now present their case.”

“Thank you, your honor.” Rachel stood from her seat. “For our first witness, the defense calls Colonel Jacob Kane to the stand.”

Kate took deep breath as her father was sworn in. All that time worrying about him being court martialed, and saving her skin, when it turned out the situation was reversed. But it was necessary. All of it was necessary.

“Colonel Kane,” said Rachel. “I know this may seem to be a silly question, but is your daughter the Batwoman?”

“No.”

“Then, if I might be so blunt, could you care to explain to myself and the court how she was able to defend herself so effectively during the Blackgate riot? The warden’s testimony may not have been rife with specifics, but it’s known that she _did_ survive what effectively became a warzone. And may or may not have been instrumental in halting Mitternacht’s rampage.”

Pop nodded. “I can’t say much about her stopping a vampire, especially since it doesn’t look like she was trying to _kill_ her, but I can clear the rest of this up. It’s really not as complicated as it appears.”

 

* * *

 

_“...you need to understand something about the kind of threat my daughter faces wherever she goes. She’s jewish, gay, and a woman. If the nazis were still around in force, they’d write her up for mental illness just to complete the checklist…”_

Renee ran her hand along the blue armor of Gordon’s mostly obliterated Batsuit as one of the engineer’s wheeled it off of the parked blimp. “We _really_ need a stronger material for these things. Makes you wonder how Batman ever managed, now that we’re on this side of it,” she said, watching it as it made it’s way into the center of the work area.

Gordon snorted and pulled back his cowl. “In a word? Fast. He’s just _that_ much faster.”

“Don’t you mean _was,_ Jim?” said Harvey.

“No. I don’t.”

_“….after she was removed from the service under article 125, she went into a downward spiral for a while, and I didn’t know how to help her. I tried damn near everything, but one day, she asked for it….”_

Renee eyed the radio across from her, on a workbench. She had to keep the trial, and everything around it, in her periphery. If she couldn’t, she’d never get any work done. “For the record, I still think a day patrol route is sending the wrong message.”

“We’ve been over this, Renee,” said Jim. “New Batman. New message.”

“ _...she wanted to leave Gotham and serve for the betterment of others, because in the end that’s all she’d ever wanted to do. She wanted to learn how to protect herself, and others, more effectively, so she could enter hot zones to offer humanitarian aid around the world, fully prepared for the dangers involved. I made her a deal. Get your head on straight, finish up your degree, and I’ll make it happen...”_

“Is the new message that the Batman can stop three bank robberies and two bombings before his suit gives out?” Renee crossed her arms. “Look, I don’t think there was anything wrong with the old message. It meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people.”

_“Did she follow through?”_

“That right, Montoya?” said Harvey, sticking his hands in his pockets. “What’d it mean to little old you?”

_“I’d never seen somebody so driven to succeed as she was, from that day on. She held up her end, and I called in my unit to teach her everything she’d need to know in order to survive and excel in hostile environments.”_

_“With respect, Colonel that sounds quite similar to the abilities and tactics used by the Batwoman.”_

Renee rolled her eyes. “You know damn well what it meant. I told you this story before. When Batman blacked out that huge swath of city to make that bat, I knew I was meant to be police.” She snorted. “It was...must’ve been around eleven at night, and I was so damn nervous about my final exam at the academy the next morning. I turn on the TV, and there it was. It was like, I don’t know, _roll call_ , or something.”

 _“Last time I checked, the Batwoman mostly fought ghosts and demons, not violent gang members who shoot up shelters, or a warlord’s local militia. And if my daughter_ was _the Batwoman, don’t you think she’d have killed Mitternacht? Wooden stake to the heart, and all that?”_

“Fitting that what made you police in the first place was the same thing that called you _back,_ isn’t it?” said Jim.

“Yeah. I guess it is.”

 

* * *

 

Kate made eye contact with Bohaska Zlenko, call sign Crow 5, as he stepped down from the stand. She couldn’t help but wonder what he thought of her now, after all these years. He’d been the one who not only taught her how to push her pain tolerance well beyond her limits, but how to _win_ with a broken body. Concussed, blindfolded, deaf, ankle deep in her own blood in some long defunct Siberian gulag.

Everytime he’d knocked her down, she’d gotten back up. And he’d always been, without fail, _relieved._ Six foot seven, and he hit just as hard, if not harder, as Batman. Difference was, where Bruce scowled, Zlenko smiled.

And he did again, right at her, making him the last Crow, including her father, to testify. Each iota of information Willis had extracted from them had been crafted perfectly to coincide with what Rachel had cross-examined them for. And again, for when the D.A. re-directed them. Over and over again.

All in support of her father’s story, even though Willis kept trying to get him to admit to the Fort Richards cover-up. Obviously, he hadn’t, so Bones looked like a madman more and more. But still, he had a point. He knew _so much_ that people were going to think it was true.

Of course, they were playing the long game.  A blur of facts, counter-points and semantics. For each step the defense took, the prosecution took two. Because no matter how much she could possibly prepare, Kate had to acknowledge one true and simple fact: This was Gotham City.

And Gotham never played fair.

“The defense calls Mary Kane to the stand.”

Bette frowned, swore herself in and took her seat with a strong pout. Wow. Kate had asked her to be resentful of the ‘kangaroo court’ but that was a few steps further. Good. They’d need that.

“Miss Kane---”

“No. Kate Kane is _not_ the Batwoman.”

Rachel narrowed her eyes. “Very well, then. Bones has made some heavy allegations towards you in this trial, and there _are_ records of your near death experience. Could you give us some clarity on that?”

Bette sighed. “I was walking home from the library, studying for my psych final, and I must’ve taken a wrong turn, because the next thing I know I’m nearly gutted in half by a meat hook.” She crossed her arms. “The next thing I remember is my Uncle Jake standing over me in his uniform, about two minutes from my parents pulling the plug and donating my organs. They told me Chase saved my life by finding me in that alley, and bringing me to the hospital, and I have no reason to believe otherwise.”

“So, those claims about you operating as Flamebird---”

“I don’t even know who that _is_. I was nationally ranked in tennis, not some dumb kid who put on a mask for fun.”

“Right…” Rachel looked over her files. “Recently, you’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Elizabeth Kane. As we all know, there have been multiple Batwoman sightings in this past month, all of which occurred while the defendant was under house arrest. And each time---”

“Oh my God!” said Bette, throwing her arms up. “How is my desire to help my cousin rehabilitate and enjoy herself under scrutiny? What, because _somebody_ said _somewhere_ they saw Batwoman and Firebrand---or whatever the name is---running around on rooftops?”

“With respect, Miss Kane, it’s hardly a strange conclusion to arrive at. Elizabeth temporarily replacing her sister is very much a possibility. Is there anything you can add to disprove that?”

“Yeah. Every alibi for the past month, the ones you collected. Beth and I have gone out _a lot,_ people saw us, because that’s what she wanted to do. And every time they sent some beat cop to the estate, they found Kate still there.” She pinched her brow. “They’re _twins,_ not the same person. Oh! And how in God’s name would Beth even _operate_ as the Batwoman if she doesn’t have any kind of training at all?”

“Bones has claimed that Elizabeth Kane possesses the necessary abilities from her alleged time within the Religion of Crime.”

“Which I’d never heard of until a few hours ago. Look, we _don’t know_ what happened to Beth, and as Uncle Jake already explained to everybody, it was the Batwoman who rescued her in the first place. If she remembers, then she does. All we care about is that she’s safe.”

 

* * *

 

“ _...timing is too perfect, Miss Kane. Your confirmed whereabouts have a pattern over the past month. A very specific pattern.”_

_“Yes, that was the idea, Counselor Willis. A sense of routine and structure is important for a traumatized individual to regain a sense of safety and normalcy.”_

“Watching this is just getting _exhausting_ ,” said Renee, looking up at the monitors at Central. “Emotionally, I mean.”

Allen handed her a bowl of popcorn. “And yet, you just can’t look away.”

_“...the prison riot? I was working on a term paper at Uncle Jake’s. You can’t seriously still think I’m Firestorm.”_

_“Hawkfire.”_

_“Hawkfire, whatever.”_

Renee gave him an incredulous look. “You made _snacks_?”

“Look, if they want to put on a show, there’s no reason we can’t enjoy it a little.”

Renee sighed and grabbed a handful of popcorn. “It _is_ a show, I’ll give you that.”

Allen raised a brow. “Okay. I’ve waited long enough. Now, you’ve gotta tell me something.”

“Yeah? What do I have to tell you?”

“How is it working _with_ Batman?”

Renee snorted. “He’s not Batman. But it’s weird. Really, really, weird.”

“You came back for the _weird._ Can’t say it surprises me, Montoya.”

Renee smirked and jabbed him in the arm. “Shut up.”

_“...the defense calls Katherine Kane to the stand…”_

Allen whistled. “Oh, _here_ we go.”

“Shhh!”

 

* * *

 

Kate looked out into the stands and sat up straight. The room had gone silent, as if everyone was holding their breath. And she had to admit, she was too. A little. One wrong wording, one tiny mechanical failure, one misstep and she was _done_. But it was the home stretch.

Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Two outs. Batwoman at the, uh, _bat._

“Miss Kane, just to confirm…” said Rachel. “You were under Mitternacht’s mental influence for the better part of six months, correct?”

“That is correct.”

“And within this period of time, how much of it do you remember?”

“A...little more than half? It’s come back to me a little, but it was mostly the mundane. I remember doing my taxes, thankfully. Nothing relevant to this case, though.”

“Have you experienced any problems with memory _after_ your relationship ended?”

“None at all.”

“Before?”

“Again, nothing.”

Rachel nodded. “Good. Prior to today, have you ever met Mister Bones?”

Kate frowned. “I think I’d remember meeting a skeleton who sweats cyanide. No. I have never seen him before in my life, and it makes me _extremely_ uncomfortable when he refers to us as siblings.”

“Do you have any idea why he might think that?”

“Because he’s delusional? Just like his entire testimony. Look, whatever the Religion of Crime _is,_ or was, or wasn’t, I have no idea. It sounds made up. I can also tell you that I’d remember if my father were kidnapped or not, especially if it was by my supposedly dead sister at the time.”

“Whom the Batwoman rescued, as claimed by the rest of your family.”

“Yes. I was there at the time, and since I can’t be in two places at once, how could I have delivered my own twin sister _to myself_?”

Rachel looked over at Willis for a moment. “The training you underwent while you travelled the world. We’ve already heard from your father’s military unit regarding that, but is there anything else of note that you’d like to add, or correct?”

“Not really. They went into fuller detail than I would’ve.”

“Have you made use of this training before?”

“I have. Some of those meditation techniques I use very regularly, but the skills and tactics more related to combat don’t come up quite as often, thankfully.” She scratched her head. “Then again, this _is_ Gotham, so rarely does a month go by where somebody doesn’t try and mug me. Or worse.”

“The night of the Blackgate riot has been the subject of major scrutiny, specifically in regards to the matter of your training.”

“It was nightmarish.”

“Could you recount the events for us? Tell your side of the story?”

“Brass tacks? I woke up, got mind-raped by Nocturna, but my cellmate Sandra, who I guess I wasn’t supposed to have, snapped me out of it. No idea how. She killed a guard, ranting cryptic nonsense, and ran off into the chaos. I grabbed her gear because I _knew_ that monster was coming for me, and then, like magic, those vigilantes showed up.”

“They were looking for you specifically?”

“I guess so? They were pretty disorganized, so I’m not sure if that was the plan, or if it became the plan. All I know is that they understood that the _biggest_ threat to containing the riot right then was Nocturna, and that she’d be trying to get to me.” She shrugged. “In that situation, I suppose I was an HVI. Or, HVT, technically.”

“Could you clarify those terms?”

Kate nodded. “HVI, or high value individual. Someone in need of protection, extraction, that sort of thing. An HVT, however, is a high value _target._ The one you’re actively trying to kill, or capture or any number of things.”

“What happened next?”

“They escorted me through the cell blocks; really the kid with mohawk did most of the work. Escorting, I mean. She had this giant gun that shot lightning.”

“Bluebird.”

“Right. And the other one, Phoenix, who you think is my cousin, for some reason.”

“It’s Hawkfire, actually.”

Kate huffed. “It doesn’t matter. I did what I could to survive, and help. People were dying, and inaction only breeds more violence. I had a stun baton. I used it. I know krav maga, so I used that, too.”

“And then you eventually got to the mess hall, correct?”

“Right. The warden had set up a kill zone for Nocturna, who was...getting beaten up by some giant in a luchador mask?”

“That would be Bane.”

“Whose?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Whose bane?”

“He was.”

“Right, but _whose_ bane?”

“Him!”

“Who?”

“Bane!”

“The bane of _whom?!”_

“Oh my God.” Rachel pinched her brow. “His name _is_ Bane.”

“Well, that’s just confusing.” Kate crossed her arms. “After that, the, uhm, Robot Batman, and all the vigilantes, and everyone else in that room opened fire, but as the Nocturna said, it didn’t work. So the masks split up, with Bluebolt and Afterburner sent to escort me until the situation was contained.”

“Did that work?”

“Not really. Nocturna cornered us in the bathrooms, and she managed to feed on me again…” She pointed to her neck. “So I shot her in the eyes, hoping that the shells would penetrate and lodge themselves in her brain. And then I did it again and again, while those two kids set her on fire and electrocuted her. Eventually, I ran out of shells and shot her in the heart with a 9mm. Bam, she went down.”

“Then what happened?”

“The vigilantes ran off, the SWAT team came in, I got shot twice in the chest because I was still holding a gun--- _thank God_ I was wearing that vest, and then I passed out from blood loss.”

Rachel folded her hands behind her back. “No further questions.”

Snyder cleared his throat. “Would the prosecution---”

Willis practically leaped out of her chair. “Yes. We would.” She picked up three books, displaying them to the court. “Exhibit J. Three books by the late Ingrid Pitt, holocaust survivor and cult icon.” She did the same for three VHS tapes. “Exhibit K. A trilogy of vampire films produced by Hammer Films in the 70s, the first of which _starred_ Ingrid Pitt, called _The Vampire Lovers_ and was famous for its, at the time, explicit depiction of lesbianism.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Good for you. You cracked my safe and found my mom’s old stuff.”

Willis smiled. “So, you admit that your mother recorded those films, and owned those books, when you were young?”

“Yes. I’ll admit, it’s a _weird_ connection, but how was I supposed to know vampires were actually real?”

Willis motioned for the TV to be brought back in. Hook line and sinker, bitch. She fast forwarded to the part where Nocturna ordered her to kill Beth. “That’s not the point I’m trying to make. Listen close.”

_“WILL DRINK YOU DRY!”_

“ _A vampire? Ha! You fetishized those Hammer films since you were six!”_

Kate raised her brows and laughed, very, very hard. Internally, of course. “I...that’s not possible.”

“You say you have no memory of this incident, and your sister, who has refused to testify publicly on legitimate grounds, claims the same. And yet, the camera woman, makes a reference so obscure, and so _specific,_ it couldn’t have come from anyone else.”

Kate frowned. “Just because something is obscure---”

“Exhibit C,” interrupted Willis, clearly enjoying her moment in the limelight. “Small throwing knife, matching the size and shape of the one briefly seen in this video. One of which cut you rather deeply. Deep enough to leave a scar.”

“That doesn’t---”

“Please roll up your left sleeve to the shoulder, Miss Kane.”

Kate did, looking away. And there was the scar, faded but _there._

“Interesting. A scar, in _the exact same place_ you were cut on film.”

Kate flashed her teeth. “It wasn’t me---”

Willis unpaused the video.

“ _Then tell me this; if you’re undead, then why are you bleeding?”_

“You were there. By extension, Elizabeth Kane was the camera woman, and thus _you_ are the Batwoman.”

Kate crossed her arms. “I’m _not_ the Batwoman.”

“‘I am judgement; _gevurah_ made flesh. I am Batwoman.’” Willis raised a brow. “Now, how exactly do you suppose Mitternacht _knew_ the fifth pillar of Kaballah? She’s certainly not jewish, though you yourself are.”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s _trendy_ to study Kaballah these days. As stupid as that sounds, and as much as it infuriates me, it’s true.” Kate scoffed. How Nocturna came up with something so stupid was beyond her.

“We’ll see,” said Willis. “No further questions.”

Rachel calmly stood from her seat and smiled as she passed by Willis, who paled, _just a little._ Oh, the looks on people’s faces when they realized they’ve walked into a trap. Priceless. “That was very damning, wasn’t it, Miss Kane?”

Kate didn’t answer and looked away.

“That’s alright. You don’t have to speak. After all, the only thing the prosecution has done was prove you were _there_ , and by extension Elizabeth.” She motioned to her assistant, who changed the video feed on the TV. “I’d like to revisit Exhibit B, accompanied by the testimony provided by Cameron Chase.” She played the video. “Observe how the Batwoman moves in this footage recorded by onlookers and the GCPD, and then compare it to the video the GCPD received…” Clumsy, stupid, amateur hour. “As I said before, the only thing the D.A. has accomplished thus far was prove that the defendant and her twin sister were indeed present at the scene, _not_ that Katherine Kane and Batwoman are one and the same.”

“The first clip, as described by Miss Chase, is masterfully executed hand to hand. The second is quite the opposite. Slow, lumbering, and ineffective. Sure, it’s possible that the Batwoman simply had a bad day, and was off her game. It’s even possible that the hypnosis made her sluggish and amateurish. But there’s one piece of evidence that the prosecution has overlooked, and by their own hand, thrusted into the spotlight. Watch as Elizabeth cuts Katherine’s suit.”

_“Great minds and all that!”_

“That shouldn’t be possible. The suit supplied to Batwoman was designed to be nigh-impregnable. In Chase’s own words, certified to take an anti-material rifle round to the chest, with only cracked ribs to show for it, not mention thermite, acid, and a few dozen other weapons. In the second clip, the Batwoman doesn’t even _register_ the knives and bladed weapons that nick her. Not to mention the bullets. Because they don’t breach her armor. She doesn’t _feel_ them. No normal bladed weapon, no matter how sharp, could cut it open. And yet, we see that happen, on video.”

 _“Then tell me this: if you’re undead, then why are you bleeding?_ ”

“My client _is_ the woman in the Batwoman suit in the video, and her sister is the camera woman...but I believe this to be part of Nocturna’s hypnotic delusion, _convincing_ Miss Kane she was the Batwoman, supplying her with a cheap knock-off, which Chase fully admitted to being incredibly easy to obtain, and using the implied mental instability one would require to act as a masked vigilante to strengthen her plans of framing my client for murder.”

Silence swept over the room, and Kate caught the best reaction in the room. Mags, _completely slack jawed._

Rachel looked from Kate, to Snyder, to Willis. “The defense rests,” she said, as if taking a bow while she returned to her seat.

“Prosecution, your rebuttal?”

Willis shook her head. ”Entirely unnecessary, your honor.”

“Then I’ll see you both in my chambers.”

 

* * *

 

“Holy shit!” gasped Renee. “Holy---just... _what?!_ ”

“Rachel Green, ladies and gentleman.” Allen slow clapped. “Hey! Romy! What were the odds on---”

“Screw you, Allen!” yelled Romy, from across the bullpen. “Screw you, and your stupid, noble, not-gambling face!”

“I may have just made ten large.” Renee felt her forehead. “If I faint---”

Allen snorted. “You’re not going to faint.”

“But if I _do,_ make sure I don’t hit my head.”

“Fine. Sure. If by some _impossible happenstance,_ you manage to pass out due to hysteria, a medical condition that doesn’t exist, I’ll protect your pretty little head.”

“You know, that’s all I ask.”

_“We will now hear the prosecution’s closing argument.”_

“Wow.” Allen raised a brow. “Even for greased wheels, _that_ was fast.”

“ _The defendant wishes to escape conviction by the way of a technicality, rather than by refuting evidence. And I, for one, will not stand for it. We have brought in testimonies and evidence from around the globe, over several decades, and it all points to one very simple and absolute fact: Katherine Kane is the Batwoman. She has the training, she has the means, she even_ displayed those very traits _during the rioting at Blackgate, where she was able to take down a vampire so powerful that not even the combined strengths of five vigilantes, Bane and the GCPD’s own Batman could stop. Her string of alibis are flimsy at best, relying on blood relatives that could easily be protecting her and committing extensive amounts of perjury. We have her on video, acting as the Batwoman, along with her twin sister. We have Bones’s testimony, which is so comprehensive I struggle to see any reasoning that her guilt should even be in question…”_

 

* * *

 

 

“...Katherine Kane is guilty, no matter how you want to dress it up. Today is our chance, _everyone’s_ chance, to prove once and for all that this city will not tolerate masked vigilantes. That they are not above the law. That they are _not_ heroes. Don’t waste this, Gotham. Don’t let us backslide into the chaos all over again.”

Kate narrowed her eyes. Overconfident, but the right buttons to push. Still up in the air.

“Counselor Green?”

Rachel slowly rose from her seat. “Today has been long for all of us, and at the same time, very short. We’ve sped through the proceedings more quickly than any case I’ve ever worked, and if that isn’t telling in regards to the city’s clear and present bias towards a very specific verdict, I’m not sure how to convince you otherwise. The District Attorney would have you convict a victim of sexual, mental, psychological and emotional abuse without any concrete or credible evidence of her guilt. This is not ‘probably guilty’. This is ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt’. I asked for this case to be dismissed, and it absolutely _should_ have been. The prosecution is operating off of a lunatic’s testimony with _years_ worth of information that no one can seem to corroborate, confirm or even _remember_ in the slightest.”

“Katherine Kane is not capable of being the Batwoman. I have explicitly proved that here today. As I stated in my opening statement, the foundation of the prosecution’s case is a single video. And that remains true. That is the _only_ piece of real, tangible evidence that links Kate Kane and the Batwoman together. To be frank, I find it sickening that a city can turn on one of its best citizens so quickly. You would throw a pillar of this community behind bars just to prove a point? Does it not to occur to _anyone_ that this in it of itself is _also_ a hate crime, just like the one that resulted in my client’s initial arrest?”

“I sincerely hope, for all our sake’s, that it does. Because if the only thing that matters to you is that _someone_ takes the fall for one of Gotham’s masked vigilantes, then perhaps you should rethink your priorities. We are the crime capital of the world. We are _also_ one of the greatest leaders in innovation, engineering, medicine, genetics, energy and many other emergent technologies. Gotham is the best and the worst of all of us. It is as much Sodom as it is Paradise. Right now, the prosecution is attempting to prove that those are _synonymous._ That the brightest days lead only to the blackest of nights. Don’t let them. Not guilty.”

Kate stared at Rachel. “I need to hire whoever writes your statements.”

“You want to hire me twice? Go for it.”

 

* * *

 

Maggie exchanged a look with Barbara, Dinah, Harper, and Steph as the jury marched into the back room for deliberation. “Wow.”

“It won’t work,” said Dinah. “They’ll be out in ten minutes.”

“You can’t know that, Dinah,” said Barbara. “I’ll admit it all seems very...suspect, but we have to have hope.”

“How much can we have when the judge keeps shooting down the defense attorney for calling out crap that is _clearly_ illegal?” said Harper, throwing up her arms. “Whole damn thing was rigged from the start.”

“Maybe, but, how about, just so we can put this on the table, even though this looks _really bad_ but…” said Steph, with a pained smile. “...nope. I’ve got nothing.”

“A case like this is supposed to take weeks, _months,_ sometimes years, kids,” said Dinah. “Green, Harper, you two are spot on. The decision was made before the trial even started.”

Maggie shrugged. “We won’t know what happens until they come back. But the fact that we’re not being asked to leave is disconcerting.”

Barbara frowned. “Because they don’t _need_ us to leave.”

“That’s possible. It’s not the _only_ reason---” The door swung back open. “Are you kidding me?!”

“Three minutes. _Three_ minutes.” Dinah sighed. “What are we supposed to do now? Bet on a _miracle_ in the next minute and a half?”

Maggie blinked. “To be honest, I wouldn’t put it past her.”

 

* * *

 

Kate licked the inside of her lips as the jury filed back into the box. Deliberation had been _excessively_ short, just as she’d predicted. Bones had been dealt with, more or less. Doubt had been cast in all areas, and Rachel had made a stronger case for what was more or less ‘temporary insanity’ than she’d thought possible.

She stood, along with everyone else, and took a deep breath. Now, all she had to do was pray the next sixty seconds didn’t blow up in her face.

“Has the jury reached a unanimous verdict?”

“We have, your honor.”

Kate clicked the metal tab on her watch. 59...

“We, the ladies and gentleman of the jury, find the defendant _guilty_ of all charges.”

45.

The press roared into action, screaming questions and trying to talk over one another into microphones, cameras and anyone who would hear them. The entire courtroom was flooded with camera flashes and rantings from the spectators. She could hear Maggie trying to push her way through the crowd as the bailiff put her in handcuffs.

“Katherine Rebecca Kane, you are hereby sentenced to prison, with no possibility of parole, to serve eighteen concurrent life sentences.”

25.

Kate met the pained expressions of her family as she was escorted past them. Bette was angry beyond belief, Pop was baffled, Catherine crying and Beth...Beth was neutral. Because she was just that smart.

10.

Snyder kept banging his gavel as the court room devolved into utter chaos, officers forcing those in attendance and the press out of her way, as they practically threw themselves forward, desperate for a word. _Anything_.

5.

Maggie somehow managed to break through the line and pull her into a desperate, angry kiss. Kate’s eyes widened because _okay maybe this was cruel to the people she loved._ And those that loved her. She winked at Maggie as she was yanked off of her and---

“GET CLEAR!” yelled Maggie.

0.

A large, seven foot tall scaly demonic humanoid came crashing through the courthouse window behind her, spewing hellfire from his mouth with a deafening roar, narrowly missing the figure who’d sent him flying in the first place, her boots still firmly planted on his chest.

The demon hit the ground, hard, denting the floor and forcing the crowd to scatter away. Before he could get up, his attacker picked him up and threw him into the center of the courtroom. He rolled to his feet and struck out at her, but missed every mark. She was just too damn fast, countering everything he tried with a flurry of debilitating strikes.

He opened his mouth again, but before he could unleash another blast, she grabbed his throat with one hand and his massive tongue with her other, her gloves crackling to life with lightening. She smashed his head into the floor, smoking, and the woman rose, her flowing red hair absolutely untouched.

And not just _any_ woman, of course.

The Batwoman.

Every single badge in the room opened fire, dozens of rounds bouncing harmlessly off of her uniform and pooling at her feet. “Stop shooting!” said Batwoman, speaking in the subtle Bostonian timber of the late Gabrielle Kane. She covered herself with her cape. “Look, I get that you have orders to take in vigilantes on sight, but good lord, you could hit someone _else_ by accident!”

“Hold your fire!” Maggie looked between Kate and Batwoman. “Everyone! Lower your weapons!” They did.

“Judge Snyder---” said Rachel.

Snyder banged his gavel. “Yes! I see her, Rachel!”

“How?! How?! Are you doing this?!” screamed Bones, attempting to force his way through the crowd. “Is it Clayface?! Hard light holograms?!”

“Well, good to see you’re still babbling nonsense, Bones,” said Batwoman. “I would have thought your day in court would’ve been private, and in D.C., and more a formality that lead to an execution, but I suppose the justice system is just full of surprises…”

“This isn’t my trial, you fool! IT’S YOURS!”

“ _Mine_ ? What are you talking about---” Batwoman paused. “Ah, heh, _whoops_. I must’ve entered the wrong date in my calendar. Okay, let me just, clear this up.” She whistled. “All cameras on me!”

Every single member of the press obeyed, climbing over one another for _just_ the right shot.

“I am the Batwoman.” She pointed at Kate. “This woman is _not_ the Batwoman.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to--- _you couldn’t have done this earlier?!”_ snapped Kate.

“Hey, you’re lucky I got here at all, lady! You think I have tons of free time?”

“No. No, it’s not over yet!” Bones beat his way through the mob with this cane, which was _electrified,_ and tore Maggie’s duty weapon out of her hands. He wrapped his arm around Kate’s waist and put a gun to her head. “It’s a trick! IT’S A DAMN TRICK!”

Kate bowed her head and grinned. “And you’re holding a hostage at gunpoint on live television,” she whispered, just loud enough for Bones to hear. “I win.”

“NOBODY MOVE!” roared Bones. “I don’t care what you do to me---” A single shot rang out, and the pistol flew out of his hands.

“Feeling’s mutual,” growled Chase, smoking gun in her hand.

Kate ducked and kicked out his legs, knocking him to the ground just in time for Maggie to tackle him, flip him over, and cuff him.

Maggie pinned his head to the floor. “Robert Todd, you have the the right to remain silent---somebody grab Batwoman before she...” She looked up at the broken window, and sighed. Vanished without a trace. “At least she took the giant lizard with her...”

“Your honor?” said Rachel, raising her voice over the din of the crowd. “Motion to set aside the verdict?”

“I’m about to have an aneurysm just from saying this but…” Willis pinched her brow. “I concur with Ms. Green.” She gestured towards the giant broken window. “Throw the damn thing out.”

“Agreed.” Snyder took a deep breath. “Not guilty!” he said with a bang of his gavel.

Kate grinned even wider.

Gotham didn’t play fair.

But neither did she.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when Maggie mentioned Clayface as not being an option in Chapter 1, and Kate name-dropped Etrigan in Chapter 2? Yeah. This was the plan the whole time, and why I didn't include Basil Karlo or Jason Blood in the character tags, despite spoiling Bones up there. I mean, it's the obvious solution, at first glance. We'll get into the nuances of exactly how Kate pulled this off, and why it's not just a dumb switcheroo (pay very close attention to what Batwoman does, and how she does it, in that final scene, and you may be able to piece it together), in the wrap-up chapter next week. Celebrating, tying up loose ends (some that turned out to be ACTUALLY CANON despite me having written them back in like May) and an epilogue. Plus, we finally get Kate, Maggie and Renee in the same room having a conversation...which hasn't happened in this story at all XD
> 
> Also: The "Three Batwomen" thing here is a bit of an unintentional nod to the "Mystery of the Batwoman" animated movie. 
> 
> Anyway, Bones's ranting is a direct quote lifted from Batwoman #20, when Kate flips out after seeing Beth on the monitor. Turning the tables on him, and Kate mocking him for it, was so freaking fun to write. This whole chapter, well this whole story, was a blast to write, but this reveal, along with the closing statements and keeping whether or not Bones is actually related to the Kanes (Annual #1 feels like a giant lie in that department, but I have no idea how Williams and Blackman were going to resolve that, so I just made it a joke) very vague, ugh, been itching to do this stuff. Not to mention to bombshell of Green fucking DESTROYING Willis's entire argument for the umpteenth time, except this time she baited her! 
> 
> Renee's story about how she knew she was meant to be police, referencing Zero Year, is adapted from a similar story she told in the tail end of Gotham Central, about when she decided she wanted to be police, which was when they first turned on the batsignal. But, since Renee was already an officer during Zero Year, and the bat signal went up after that, I had to tweak it. Also, her banter with Allen was so refreshing to write. I love Harvey, but these two have far superior chemistry and, tbh, did better detective work. 
> 
> Coming up with the 'wrong names' for Bluebird and Hawkfire was pretty fun. I almost had Bette say "Burning Man" but that was trying way too hard. 
> 
> That confusion with Bane is, obviously, an homage to the classic "Who's on First?" sketch. I like to think Kate didn't tell Rachel she was going to do that, so it'd be more authentic. I know, there's a surprising amount of levity here for such a tense and important chapter, but honestly I felt like it fit the pacing well, and kept things in perspective. We all know Kate won't lose, since this takes place in the canon-verse, but the fun here has always been, I hope, of HOW she beats this. Which, again, is pretty nuanced and clever if you look close. Either way, it'll get touched on in the final chapter! Ack! I know, we're almost done! :( 
> 
> Steph was originally not in this scene, but it felt strange for her not to be since the rest of the "rescue team" showed up. Originally, I had the idea that Babs kept some of the Fugue tech and intended to use it if things got too bad, and they were there as support, but in the end...that was dumb and from a narrative perspective it's more interesting to have them all physically witness what happens. Also, yes, Clayface is overacting just a tad. And yes the video footage of the courtroom would show Batwoman leaving with Etrigan over her shoulder, not...like she'd be there one second and then poof gone like missing frames. Clayface can't do the "Bat Vanish", but he can run away when the time is right. 
> 
> If I could draw, I'd TOTALLY draw that one tiny moment where Kate winks at Maggie just before Batwoman and Etrigan smash through the window directly behind her. The giant batwings of her cape casting a huge shadow as she gets closer, and that confident smirk of Kate's just...UGH. There's a lot of this stuff I'd draw if I could; the vast majority of it wouldn't be difficult to translate to comic form, but there are moments, more than others, that stand out to me. That's one of them. 
> 
> So, see you next time, for the FINAL CHAPTER: **Tikkun Olam**


	10. Tikkun Olam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate's checklist was all but complete. Once it was, all would be as it was meant to be. Friends and family where they should be. Allies, new, old and temporary returning to their own lives. Careers restored. Wrongs righted. Legacies ensured. A world repaired.
> 
> And maybe, just maybe, love reignited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://imgur.com/G46EFqt)   
> 

**Epilogue**

Kate downed the rest of her bourbon and clapped her hands. Perhaps dragging Renee, Maggie, Beth and Bette to _Molly’s_ was, in essence, a strange act of nostalgia, but she couldn’t help it. She’d won. She’d _beat_ the system, and outsmarted everybody. “Keep guessing! First one to figure it out gets their drinks comped!”

Renee raised a brow. “That so?”

“...or the cash equivalent of however much _I_ drink.” She shook her empty glass. “Which is going to be _a lot_ , I’m just going to admit that right here and now.”

“Better.”

“Hard light, coupled with hallucinogens,” said Bette. “Beth’s rendition of, uh, _you_ isn’t as accurate.”

“I believe that many would argue otherwise,” grumbled Beth. “But, you are incorrect.”

“Yeah, how would you know?”

“Probably because she’s just that smart?” Kate shrugged. “Also, yes. You are wrong.”

“Okay, I think I’ve got it,” said Maggie, waving her hands. “Clayface was Beth in the courtroom, but Beth was Batwoman with the window.” She took a sip of her wine. “The demon was... animatronic?”

Kate snickered and leaned toward her, bopping her on the nose. “Nope. No, not that.”

Renee laughed. “Maggie, c’mon! Clearly, it was Clayface, disguised as Kate, _inside_ the actual batsuit.“ She patted her chest. “That’s why the bullets were deflected, instead of absorbed. Plus, the taser gloves. Oh, and the lizard was a real demon.”

“Ooooh, so close, Renee! But, _technically---_ ”

“Kate, she’s right. Etrigan _is_ a real demon,” said Beth.

“Technically correct. But she still missed the part about the voice being _mom’s,_ and not ours.”

“Don’t care.” Renee smirked. “That’s still correct. And wow, that is...depressing and very clever.”

“You summoned a demon just to fight it?” asked Maggie, incredulous. “Are you crazy?!”

Kate scoffed and patted her on the shoulder. “Mags, no. No, of course not. He’s half-human, sort of. And he’s a good guy!” She wrinkled her nose. “I think. Beth?”

“Etrigan, well his human half, is a good person, as far as I’m aware. He has a stabilizing influence on Clayface, which is why, I believe, you were able to trust them.” She snickered. “Even though he has a tendency to speak only in rhyme.”

“And, let me guess…” said Maggie, chuckling. “It makes Kate’s head spin on a dime?”

Kate groaned. “That doesn’t make sense, but yes. It does. I also promised Clayface an audience of _at least_ fifty million people, so that was incentive enough. Still think he overacted, though...” She huffed. “Renee wins. And, in case nobody figured _this_ part out yet---”

“We _got_ the part about the press, Kate,” said Bette, punching her in the arm. “For a few seconds, you even fooled _me_ that it wasn’t a hoax.”

“Speaking of…” Maggie cleared her throat. “D.E.O. already picked Bones up and took him into custody.”

“Thank God for that.” Kate wrinkled her nose. “...is it just me or is this place not as gay as I remember?”

Bette narrowed her eyes. “You keep saying that but I have no idea what it means.”

“I haven’t been here in years,” said Renee. She tapped her chin. “But I _do_ recall it being a lot gayer than it is now.”

“Okay, seriously, what does that mean?” Bette pleaded.

“I think it’s the curtains.” Maggie gestured to the clear windows. “They used to have curtains.”

Kate waved them off. “No, no, it was the bartender. She had a sleeve and it was _haunting._ ”

“They used to play live music, right?” said Renee. “Some of those kids were good. Lesbian Garage Bands.”

“How is that not a _sub-genre_ of music?” Maggie snickered. “Queer Garage Band. QGB Battle of the Bands.”

“That acronym doesn’t work very well,” said Beth.

“It works enough.”

“Wow, okay.” Bette massaged her temples. “Is this what it feels like at work, Renee? Maggie?”

Renee shrugged. “What, you mean being the ‘odd one out’? No offense intended, Beth, or...wait---”

Beth shook her head. “I wouldn’t think about it too much.”

Renee paused, then nodded. “Right. Anyway, yeah, it used to be, sure. It still is, of course, but now it’s more like…”

“Don’t mess with her?” said Maggie, grinning. “She’s latina, gay _and_ Major Crimes?”

“Shut up, ma’am.”

Kate giggled into a short laugh. Her phone rang and she checked the number. Batgirl. “I have to take this, but Renee…” She hopped out of her seat and walked out side door. “Keep ordering me drinks!” she called back. She answered the phone. “I’m tipsy, so just a heads up on that.”

“That’s okay. I’ve seen you operate under worse conditions.”

Kate spun around and saw Batgirl leaning against the side of the building. “Oh. You know, this place isn’t _just_ for lesbians. It’s welcome to any sapphically-inclined---”

“That’s---I’m not here about that. Why would you---ugh, _nevermind_!” She threw her hands into the air and lead her further down into the alley. “Focus. The riot at Blackgate. The timing was too perfect.” She pivoted and crossed her arms. “I managed to get a closer look at my old tech in their system, and it was accessed by someone who wasn’t me. Off-site. Tracked it through a series of proxies, and came up with a region of origin. New York City.”

Kate nodded. “D.E.O. Friend of mine already put together an old fashioned conspiracy theory on this whole thing. Some dormant trap for a vigilante. Trap them in a situation where their hand would be forced, which unmasks them.”

“Preventing the deaths of hundreds would do it.” She scowled. “They were the cause of over four hundred casualties, and half that wounded. Just to _catch_ one of us in the act. They need to be brought to justice, but failing that, since they’re practically untouchable...”

“We hit them where it hurts.” Kate cracked her knuckles. “I’ve got a promise to keep, so I was already planning on doing just that. Chase only offered to help if I could get her old job back.” She smirked and put her hand on Batgirl’s shoulder. “How would you like to take a trip to the big apple?”

“Gladly.”

“I’ve got my own plan, but since you’re interested, I’ve got an even better one. However, it’s not _you_ I need. Not exactly.”

Batgirl raised a brow. “I’m listening.”

Kate grinned. “I need Oracle.”

 

* * *

 

_“Cameras and alarms are slaved, Batwoman. Very minimal night staff, like we planned. Chase is already being accosted by ground floor security, so you’ve got maybe three minutes.”_

“Roger that, Oracle.” Kate rolled into a landing atop the helipad of New York’s Lipstick Building, headquarters of the D.E.O., the heavy rain battering down on her as she exited her controlled glide. She rose to her feet and noted the emergency lighting below her, the sharp red and yellow brightening that tiny corner of the night. Cute.

She dove into the shadows and crouched against the side of the express elevator, just out of the many surveillance camera's fields of view. No sense in getting sloppy. “Keep me updated on her location.”

“ _Will do._ ”

Kate armed two concussives and stuck them to the outer edge of the doors, setting them to proximity detonation. She whipped a magnetic mini-EMP batarang into the center of the helipad and smirked. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

_“Opening elevator doors. Be ready.”_

“Go.” The doors split open, the shaft completely empty, and Kate dove inside, shooting her grapnel into the ceiling and slowing her descent. Ten floors. Twenty floors. No other doors. Just darkness and tiny bits of yellow maintenance lighting flashing by.

_“Chase is now under armed escorted; headed your way. You can cut her off on the fifteenth floor.”_

Kate frowned as she checked her elevation. Fiftieth floor, about. “What happened to forty?”

_“Asaf might not know you’re here. Or he does, and he’s not running. Either way, he’s in his office. Not the panic room.”_

“Understood.” Kate tied her bat-line around her belt and swung into the sealed elevator doors of the fortieth floor, planting her boots firmly on the hardened steel. “Oracle, confirm my position?”

“ _On target.”_

Kate applied an excessively strong bonding agent to the door and rigged another concussive to the center. If they broke through, they wouldn’t be able to hear it. Or be conscious. “Contingencies are in place. Moving to intercept.” She retracted her grapnel and pushed off of the wall, flipping into a dive bomb down the rest of the shaft.

_“Chase is thirty-seconds from secondary rendezvous.”_

“Threading the needle.” Kate checked her elevation. Dropping like a rock, seconds from hitting floor fifteen. “Oracle, open the pod bay doors…” She opened her cape and controlled her fall, slowing just enough not to injure herself. “ _Now._ ”

The elevator doors twenty feet below her slid open with a fancy _ding,_ and she could already hear Chase complaining to the guards about how the D.E.O. had a terrible benefits packages and hung you out dry once the cards were down.  

“...no backup, no assistance, just tossed aside like a used dishrag. You kids have any idea what that feels like?” ranted Chase.

“No,” grunted one of the guards. “Now---wait, did anyone else hear that?”

Oh, _perfect._

Kate shot both of her grapnels into the outside edge of the doorframe and launched herself into the building proper, slamming her boots into the back of a soldier and sending him flying down the hall. She rolled and latched other end of her bat-line to another two guards’ belts, the cord dragging them both the floor and down back into the shaft, hanging them upside down. Her taser gloves crackled to life and she effortlessly dispatched the remaining three before they even had a chance to react.

Minimal sound. No alarm.

Mostly-perfect stealth.

Chase looked up at her, jingling her handcuffs. “And here I thought you’d left me behind.”

Kate scowled and picked the lock, letting the metal bindings fall to the floor. “I made a promise. I aim to keep it.”

“Good.” Chase rubbed her wrists. “I’ll keep moving. Don’t be late.” She walked down the deserted hallway and rounded the corner.

Kate shook her head. Still an ass. She hauled the unconscious guards into a nearby supply closet and sealed them inside. “Oracle, any update on Asaf?”

“ _Still waiting in his office. Looks agitated---wait, I’ve got something on radar.”_

Kate pulled the elevator doors shut. “Talk to me.”

“ _UH-60 Blackhawk is enroute to your position. Six minutes out. D.E.O. markings.”_

“But he didn’t push the panic button…” Kate furrowed her brow and took off down the hall, sprinting towards the conference room adjacent to the director’s office. “Are you sure he’s in the room? The feed could be a fake.”

“ _It’s not. I’m a little rusty, but not_ that _much. Besides, thermal scan of the building shows a heat signature matching his profile.”_

“Understood.” Kate kicked open the door to the dark conference room and sealed it behind her. Large oak table, two dozen seats. Huge monitor on the wall, and a giant reinforced angled window overlooking New York. “TV in here is commercial. You should be go for wireless.” She shifted to thermal imaging and smirked as she spotted Asaf pacing around his office not forty feet from her. “Prepping showcase.”

“ _Video output is slaved. Just say the magic word.”_

“Chase?” Kate embedded a shaped charge over the wall, just large enough to make a door.

“ _Minute-thirty.”_

She took a few steps back, gauging the distance, and adjusted the table head’s large executive chair so the seat was facing the wall. She clamped it to the floor, secure. “Be honest…” Kate sprayed the leather seat down with adhesive. “Was Canary ever this efficient?”

“ _I’m not having this conversation.”_

Kate snorted and walked to the other end of the table, lightning flashing through the window. “But you _do_ miss her,” she said, securing a holographic projector to the table.

_“Drop it, Batwoman.”_

“Fine.” Kate shrugged and turned back towards Asaf’s worried heat signature. Chase was at the door. She fingered the detonator. “Helicopter?”

“ _Four minutes, but it’s not shielded.”_

“Good.” Kate watched the colorful blobs shaped like Chase and Asaf argued with one another. She drew her grapnel and aimed it at the wall. “On your go.”

“ _Drop the curtain._ ”

Kate smirked and detonated the charge, blowing a perfectly rectangular hole into Asaf’s office. She hooked him with her grapnel and pulled him into the room, sending him flying right back into his chair and spinning around to face her. Eyes wide in perfect confusion and shock. “Director Asaf. It’s been too long. Sorry if I’m intruding unexpectedly, but after Bones...” she said, holstering her grapnel. “...I figured you wouldn’t mind.”

“How---” Asaf tried to get up from his chair but barely moved an inch. “What do you want?! You already won!”

“I’m well aware of that. But this isn’t about me, or the hundreds you murdered and the trial you rigged.”

“It’s about _me_ .” Chase walked through the giant hole in the wall and patted him on the shoulder. “As for what the Batwoman wants, very little, as it turns out. Really, you should be asking _me_ what _I_ want.”

Asaf frowned and looked between them both. “You’re in no position to bargain. Parlay, _anything_. What you’re doing right now is an act of domestic terrorism!”

“That’s a bit of a stretch.” Kate hummed and folded her hands behind her back.  “Wouldn’t you say, _Oracle_?”

The TV and holographic projector lit up in bright green, washing over the room with an eery glow. Oracle’s avatar, a minimalist human head with the brain sticking out of the top, flickered to life on the monitor, and in twelve different holograms scattered around them.  

“ _More or less. At worst, this is breaking and entering. Maybe some assault charges and trespassing,”_ said the projections, Oracle’s voice heavily distorted. _“Destruction of government property, but_ terrorism _? Come on, Director! This isn’t amateur hour.”_

Asaf’s jaw dropped. “That’s---this is impossible. Oracle is gone. They _died._ ”

“ _Seriously? I took a vacation and the entire intelligence community thinks I’m dead? Pretty telling in how you treat your own agents, Asaf.”_

Chase nodded. “It more or less is, actually.” She smiled. “Now, Director, I want my job back. With retroactive back pay.”

“You’ve been blackballed and disavowed, Cameron,” growled Asaf. “I couldn’t do that even if I wanted to.”

 _“Security team on the fortieth floor just triggered your trap. They’re down,”_ said Oracle, through her earpiece.

Kate leaned against the table. “Sure you can. Especially since that security team assigned to your panic room on the fortieth floor is very, _very_ unconscious.” She narrowed her eyes. “Stalling won’t work. You’re all alone in here, except for us.”

Asaf tried to rock the chair from side to side, and failed. “That doesn’t matter! I still can’t do what you’re asking me to do!”

“They also said Bones would never wake up from that coma, but _you made that happen anyway,_ ” said Chase.

He glared at her. “I exploited a situation that presented itself to me. You’d _both_ do the same in my position. You can’t judge me for choosing to use a trap you triggered when I didn’t even know it existed beforehand!”

“We’re not judging you, Asaf,” said Kate. “But you’re still lying. You _can_ reinstate Chase. What’s more is that you will in the next…” Kate tapped her chin. “Oracle, give us a countdown, would you?”

 _“Too cliche. How about the progress bar from the data transfer?”_ A simple green bar, half filled, plopped up on the main screen, slowly filling. 51%, 52%...

Asaf furrowed his brow. “What is that. What are you doing?”

“ _All of your intel. And yes, I do mean all of it. Your servers in the many, many layers of sub-basements, all of your off-site backups. You know. Everything. I’m taking it._ ”

Kate crossed her arms. “Here’s the deal. You give Chase her job back, _and_ leave Gotham alone, and we won’t confiscate every secret, every piece of data; _everything_ the D.E.O. has accomplished and covered up in its entire operational history.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” snapped Asaf. “Doing that would be catastrophic to our nation’s security! Hundreds of _billions_ of dollars would be lost, stuck in limbo in offshore accounts!”

“ _Not if we disseminate that information to every other intelligence agency operating under the federal government_ ,” said Oracle. “

Kate smirked. “Oh, but, that wouldn’t be so great for you or your agents, would it? All of those big bad secrets go public, depending on who they’re sent to.” She shrugged. “Maybe the NSA shuts their mouth, maybe the CIA and the FBI don’t want to touch any of this. Maybe Spyral doesn’t intercept the transmission or they simply don’t  care. And _maybe,_ if you’re the luckiest man in the world, Checkmate doesn’t cannibalize your entire organization.” She leaned over the desk, bringing herself nose to nose with him. “Or maybe we just throw it all on _WikiLeaks_ , with a few relevant redactions, and see how the world takes it.”

 _“Helicopter just touched down. System is fried, and the passengers are incapacitated._ _Triggered the concussives,”_ said Oracle, privately.

“You’re bluffing,” said Asaf.

Kate shook her head. “No. I’m not. And that team you called in to ‘quietly dispose’ of Chase? The ones with the helicopter?” She snapped her fingers. “They’re going to be nursing some _very_ nasty headaches tomorrow.”

“What’s it going to be, Director?” asked Chase, turning his chair around to face her. “Do I get my job back, or are you willing to call Oracle’s bluff? Clock’s ticking.”

Asaf glowered at them both for a long moment. “Fine. I’ll reinstate you. Probationary---”

 _“88%, 89%, 94%! Wow, it’s just getting easier,”_ taunted Oracle, through the speakers.

“Okay! Okay, damnit, retroactive back pay! And we’ll stay out of Gotham.”

Kate grinned. “Good. Congratulations, Chase. You’re back where you belong, but there’s one more thing we need to address. You see I _lied_ earlier. About this having nothing to do with the riot.” She motioned for Chase to get behind her, and she did. “Hundreds were _murdered_ , Director Asaf. And they were scared. Very, very _scared_.”

“What are---”

“Someone needs to answer for that, but since I can’t bring _you_ to justice... “ Kate remotely unclamped the chair from the floor and slipped on her form-fitting gasmask. “ _I’ll bring justice to you.”_ She swiped her forearms over him, spraying that special blend of fear toxin over Asaf, and kicked him back into his office, the chair slamming up against his desk just as he started to scream in pure terror.

“That’s unsettling.” Chase raised her brows. “Guess that’s that. You wiped all the intel we had on you and your family, correct?”

_“Agent Chase! You insult me. I did that before we got here.”_

“Then our business is concluded.” Chase snickered. “It’s interesting, actually. The strings he’ll have to pull to reinstate me aren’t going to look very good on him.” She raised a brow. “You basically just handed me his job.”

“Very true.” Kate popped off her gas mask and grinned. “Now, _why_ ever would I do that?”

“Because you think you can anticipate me, which you _can’t,_ or…” Chase stared at Kate for a moment. “...how much did you steal?”

“I prefer the term ‘midnight requisition’.”

Chase crossed her arms. “I don’t care. What did you take?”

“Resupplies, maintenance tech for my gear, some other choice armaments, and, of course…” Kate clicked the remote ignition on her gauntlet and, within seconds, Black Manta’s flying submarine swooped down to hover in front of the window, it’s fresh black and red sheen glowing under the thunderstorm. “...that.”

Chase’s eyes widened in fury.  “Are you _kidding_ me?! What’s to stop me from---”

“ _I still have your data,_ Agent _Chase,”_ said Oracle. “ _It would be wise not to forget that.”_

“Get. Out. And this?” she said, gesturing around them. “It never happened.”

Kate stared her down. “Agreed.” She whipped a sonic batarang at the angled window, shattering it with a loud screech and forcing Chase to cover her ears. “Hey, here’s an idea!” Kate hopped out of the window and onto the hatch, twisting it open. “Maybe instead of hunting capes, you focus on aliens! D.E.O. could use a rebranding!” she yelled, over the din of the engine, hopping down into the hold.

“WE ALREADY DO THAT, YOU CRAZY---”

Kate closed the hatch, strapped herself into the pilot’s seat and rocketed off into the sky, setting the autopilot for Gotham. “Wonder how long it’ll take before she realizes there’s no way I can keep this thing fueled and properly maintained for it be anywhere near practical.”

 _“I’d say maybe twenty minutes. She’s sharp,”_ said Oracle. “ _You, uh, you should_ really _learn to fly.”_

“And _you_ should get back to doing this.”

_“Touche.”_

 

* * *

****

**_~Two Weeks Later~_ **

 

Renee dove out of the way of flying metal debris, rolling behind an overturned car. Alarms, sirens and screams of panic flooded her ears and she coughed the ash out of her lungs. Hell of a night. “You sure we shouldn’t call in Precinct 13, Batman?!” Renee barked into her radio. She sprinted out of cover and back towards the APC. No matter what, they were going to need the big guns for this one.  

Batman came swooping down from overhead, his jets burning bright in the darkness, and slammed right into Solomon Grundy with two electrified fists, knocking him on to his back. “ _Grundy’s not that kind of zombie, Montoya! We just need to keep hitting him until he goes down!”_ He pummeled him, lightning discharging off of the undead flesh.

“BORN ON A MONDAY…” roared Grundy. He grabbed Batman’s arm and started smashing him around like a ragdoll. “CHRISTENED ON TUESDAY!”

Renee dragged the heavy ordinance crate out of the back of her damaged, and evacuated, tank hopping that all of that sharpshooting carried over to anti-material rifles. She kicked open the box and picked up the gun case. “Julia, how are we looking doing out here?!”

_“Bullock and the rest of team one are still stuck in his overturned APC, team two has evacuated to a safe distance, and Jim’s armor is holding for the moment.”_

“MARRIED ON WEDNESDAY!” Grundy rose his fists to pummel Batman into the ground, but stumbled backward as a flurry of the shoulder-rockets exploded in his face. He roared in pain and blindly smashed the ground around him, giving Batman just enough of a window to put some distance between him and the giant zombie.  

“ _Yeah, yeah, took ill on Thursday, right?”_ said Batman, activating the sonic weaponry and forcing Grundy to recoil, his massive hands covering his ears as blue blood dripped out of his eyes and nose. “ _Almost got him!_ ”

Renee bit her lip. “Okay, just keep him there!” Before she had a chance to open the box, she was flying up into the air, and dropped on top of the construction site, five stories up. “What the---”

“You needed higher ground. Can’t have you flattened into a pancake now, can we?” Batwoman retracted her grapnel and released Renee’s waist, giving her a small smirk. “That power core will burn out before he can take down Grundy. Leave him to me, and don’t even _think_ about using that M-95. It won’t work.” She leapt off the roof and opened her cape, the bulletproof material flapping in the wind as she dove back into the fray. “Seriously, don’t shoot me!”

Renee shook off her shock and assembled the Barrett M95. Older, but effective, and how the hell would Kate know if it wouldn’t work? As she loaded the box magazine, pulled back the slide, and adjusted the scope, she wondered if the old Batman would’ve responded like this. Probably not. He was just _not_ a fan of guns.

 _“Batman, your armor integrity is critical! Power supply is at 15% and falling,”_ said Daryl. “ _You can only keep that up for a few more seconds! It wasn’t designed for continuous use! It’s a crowd control weapon!”_

Grundy inched towards Batman, each step gaining more strength. “GREW...WORSE...ON **FRIDAY!** ” he roared, punching the suit straight into the building Renee was perched on.

 _“Rookie is down!”_ said Batman. “ _Every damn thing is offline! Even the warning alarms!”_

“You’ve got backup, Batman! Just stay put!” Renee steadied herself and took a small breath. She got on her stomach and sighted Grundy through the debris, locking the rifle into her shoulder.  “...c’mon, don’t start letting me down now…” she whispered.

Batwoman came flying out of the smog and spun into a kick, knocking the wind out of Grundy as he stumbled backward, his massive hands grasping at air. She weaved around his heavy strikes and lept up to his neck, putting her hands on his shoulders with a cheshire grin.

“DIED ON SATURDAY!” He roared in her face, and in return, she shoved an explosive down his throat, pushing off of his forehead into frontflip as he slammed his fists down into the street. Not a moment later, his stomach _melted,_ the incendiary burning right through his impregnable skin. She shot some kind of coil around his waist and pulled, the rope tightening so much it shattered bone and left him immobile on his back.

That was her window.

Renee sighted his eye and exhaled. “...buried on sunday…” She fired, the thundering boom of the rifle blasting out across the evacuated site, the bullet slicing into his eye. “That was the end of Solomon Grundy---”

Gruny roared and clawed at his open stomach. Damnit.

“I _told_ you it wouldn’t work!” yelled Batwoman. She stabbed Grundy in the eye with some sort of pole and covered herself with her cape _just_ before his head exploded. “Destroying the brain means _he can’t regenerate,_ so we’re going to have do this all over again next week! Great thinking, Detective!”

“ _Is he down yet?!”_ yelled Harvey.

“Dead and down.” Renee sighed. “Think I might need a refresher on some of these metas...”

“ _Oh for...whatever, not my problem! Now, could you get me the hell outta this wreck?!”_

 

* * *

 

 

Kate pulled apart the debris covering Gordon’s batsuit. Outstanding warrant for masked vigilantes or not, he was still a good man. She wasn’t about to leave him there. “Batbot, little bit of, _oof_ , advice for next time…” Kate cleared the last bit of rubble from his canopy and searched for an external latch; some sort of emergency ejection system. “You can’t kill Grundy. Anything goes, as long as you don’t destroy the brain.” She grunted. “Okay, how do I get you out of that eyesore? Or are you even stuck?”

“Not stuck, Batwoman. My team can cut me out of here, thank you very much.”

Kate looked up at the cracked ceiling. And support beams. “This building is going to collapse---” She spun around as she heard Renee land on the ground. “Hey! Montoya! Help me get RoboBat out of this thing! Building’s coming down!”

“What?!” Renee dropped her rifle and sprinted over to them. “Just pop the hatch!”

Gordon slammed his fists against the canopy. “It’s jammed, Renee! I would’ve done that already.”

Kate checked her utility belt and grabbed her miniature laser cutter. “Jammed? Show me where the mechanism is.”

“You _do_ realize we have to arrest you---”

“Yakkity yak; do you _want_ to die today?”

Renee snatched the laser out of her hand and cut into the armor, just below the canopy. “I’ll do this. Go.”

“You sure?”

“I’ve got it! Just get out of here before I start wondering if _you_ were the one who set Grundy loose in the first place!”

Kate pulled back her head. “What are you talking about? He ‘died’ in Arkham again last week. You know how this goes. Born on a Monday, crawls out of the swamp, starts smashing things on Tuesday...”

Gordon groaned. “We got a report of you breaking into Arkham about half an hour ago! Then Grundy shows up---”

Kate’s breath caught in her throat. “That wasn’t---oh no.” Beth. “I need to go. I’m sorry, but---” She sprinted out of the broken building and keyed her ducati to rev up. “Stay safe!” She grappled out of the construction site and seamlessly glided on to her motorcycle, the engine already hot.

Arkham was eight miles away. It could already be too late. She pumped the engine full of NO2 and roared forward, weaving back into traffic at 150mph and climbing, headlights, street lamps and neon flying past her in a blur.  

She tapped the ear of her cowl. “Oracle, we’ve got a big problem!”

_“Lay it on me.”_

“Beth stole one of my spare suits. She’s at Arkham.”

_“She’s going to kill Natalia.”_

Kate sighed. “If she hasn’t already. I’m a few minutes out, but it’ll take a few more to make it past security.”

“ _She might not still be there, Batwoman. Hold on, your old suit should still have an active GPS locator---ah! Yes, she’s at...520 Kane Street. She’s in your ops center.”_

“Dammit!” Kate squeezed the brake and leaned into a hard turn, spinning the bike around and smashing through the divider. “I’m not far. ETA 45 seconds.” She pushed the engine into the red, banking through alleys and cutting through the center of the street. “Can you get me the camera feed?”

_“80% transparency overlaid on your HUD, on arrival. Security systems are on a closed network, so I can’t get the doors open from here. Do you want back up?”_

“No. She’s my sister. She needs to hear from me.” Kate burned rubber as she skid to a stop outside of her warehouse. The hidden garage access wasn’t responding to her presence. She hopped off of her bike and peeled off the emergency control panel, keying in her code. Error. Beth must’ve changed it.  

Shit. No way the roof access was any different.

Kate brought up the camera feed as tried to open the main entrance. Sealed, and biometric scans weren’t responding. But Beth...Beth had Natalia in there. Hanging from the rafters, gagged, her flesh scorched and scarred all over. Ritualistic.

“No, no, no…” Kate placed a shaped thermite charge on the door and blew it, melting through first set of reinforced shutters and into the warehouse itself. She sprinted inside and up to the marked shipping crate. “Gevurah.”

Nothing.  

“Gevurah. Gevurah! GEVURAH!” She banged on the crate. “Damnit, Beth! Don’t do this! You don’t have to do this! Just let me in!” She didn’t have anything that could cut through the door; that was the point. “ANSWER ME!”

_“I’m only doing what’s necessary. I’m saving you from this. I’m doing this so you don’t have to.”_

“This isn’t noble!” Kate smashed her shoulder against the crate, completely in vain. “This is _wrong_ ! Don’t go back to this, please. Please, you don’t have to kill again! I don’t _want_ you to go back to that place!” she screamed. “I can’t lose you _a third time!_ ”

Beth set Natalia on fire again, her screams somehow permeating the sound proofed room, however slightly. _“I’m not leaving you. I’m never leaving you again, but I have to do this. I have to end her, because if I don’t, she’ll just do this to someone else! She tore your mind apart, Kate! She nearly broke you! She used you like a toy and discarded you! She nearly took you from me!”_

Kate punched the wall.  “I know, okay? I know. I know what she did to me. And you know what? She _does_ deserve every bit of pain, and suffering, and torture you’re inflicting on her right now. If it were up to me…” She flashed her teeth. “I’d kill her. But it’s _not my call._ This isn’t a war. She’s not a soldier. She’s a monster. I know you think there’s no way back after all the people you’ve murdered, after everyone you’ve hurt, after trying to _kill me_ , but Beth, _please,_ don’t do this. It’s not right.”

“ _I know there’s a path back home, but I don’t think I deserve it. You don’t know what I did, Kate. You don’t know just how many people, families; entire communities I’ve destroyed.”_

“You were brainwashed, and traumatized, and _scared_ ! You thought we’d abandoned you. It wasn’t you who did those things. It was _Alice_. Okay? It was---”

“ _It was me. I was in control. I knew what I was doing. I knew it was wrong, but I just kept doing it.”_

“Only because the Religion of Crime seduced you into thinking _evil_ was right, and darkness was light! They twisted you into a monster, but that’s not who you are right now. You’re not that person anymore.”

“ _You can’t know that.”_

“Yes! I can!” Kate banged on the wall again. “Your entire family risked _everything_ just for the smallest chance at seeing you whole. We love you so much, Beth. We never stopped. I---I never stopped hearing you in my head. Did I ever tell you that? You were always the voice of reason.”

“ _And now I’m a voice of madness.”_

“No! No, Beth, _listen_ .” She sobbed. “Do you really think I’d have let you put on that suit if I thought you were beyond redemption?” She rested her head against the metal and started to cry. “That is a _uniform_. I could’ve made something for Bette, and have her take my place, but I didn’t. Because I trust you. Because I love you. Don’t betray that. Don’t throw all of that away just for vengeance.”

 _“She slaughtered over four hundred people in one night just to get to you! This is more than vengeance! This is justice!_ ”

“Mom wouldn’t think so.”

_“Mom was a soldier! Just like dad, just like you! She’d understand!”_

“No, she’d be horrified of what her little girls have become. Yes, me too. I don’t hold any illusions on what she’d say if she were still with us.”

“ _She needs to pay for all that she’s done. I can’t torture her for eternity.”_

Kate’s eyes widened. “Yes. Yes! Yes, you can!”

_“What are you talking about?”_

Kate smacked her palms against the crate. “I had Crow-3 make some custom nanobots for me while he was in town. He specializes in it. I was going to use them on Natalia, but I decided not to. I couldn’t go through with it. It was _perfect,_ and that scared me, but...” She wiped away her tears.  “If this is what it takes to save your soul, then I’ll do it.”

“ _I’m listening.”_

“They’re a custom-blend. Self-repairing, and powered entirely by bio-electricity. There should be a fancy looky hypo in the specialized equipment locker.”

Beth stepped away from Natalia and opened the compartment. “ _I see it,_ ” she said, holding it up. “ _What does it do?_ ”

“The nanites reconstitute themselves in two places.  Within the marrow of her C7 cervical vertebrae, and her left ventricle. In the shape of a mogen dovid.” She bit her lip. A star of david. “It also forms a protective, nigh-impregnable coating around her heart.”

_“Undying agony.”_

“Yes. Immortality twisted into a literal living hell.” Kate swallowed. “The stronger your faith, the more pain she feels. The weaker she becomes. Never enough to kill her, but she won’t be hurting anyone ever again.”

_“And you’re sure this will work?”_

“I swear to God. You haven’t killed since you came back, Beth. Don’t start now. This...this isn’t good, but it’s not---it’s not murder.”

“ _It’s worse than murder_.”

“Natalia is a _monster._ An actual undead monster. It’s not worse.”

“ _You’d do this for me?”_

“Yes. Now, _please,_ let me help you. If you want me to beg, I’ll get on my knees and beg.”

Beth studied the hypodermic for a moment. “ _No. No, this isn’t right. This isn’t something_ you _do.”_

“What?” Kate’s eyes widened. “Beth, don’t---”

“ _I have to. So you won’t be tempted.”_ She walked over to Natalia. “ _A compromise.”_

“It’s not a compromise! This isn’t---” Kate blinked. Context. “Define the objective!”

Beth froze. “ _What?_ ”

“You heard me! Define the objective!”

“ _This isn’t a mission.”_

“Exactly, Beth. It’s _not a_ mission, and you’re in uniform. Haven’t you even been listening to what I’ve been trying to drill into your head for the past month?!”

“ _Of course I have!”_

“Prove it.” Kate scowled. “You will open this door, right now. You will open this door, you will take off your cowl, and you will give me that hypodermic! You will _let me do my damn job_.” She banged her fist against the metal, one last time. “Are we clear?!”

_“Lift Security Override. Passcode: Abigail. Revert to original settings.”_

The shipping crate split open with a series of metal panels and Kate sprinted inside, snatching the hypodermic out of Beth’s hands and stabbing it into Nocturna’s neck, injecting her with the nanites. Her bound body writhed in seizure, her gagged screaming turning to silence after a few seconds of ear grating screeching. She went limp.

Motionless.

Her charred flesh was no longer healing, her exposed muscle tissue torn and would likely stay that way for some time. Not a threat. Just a pitiful, weakened animal.

Kate took off her cowl and set it on the table. “Who is Abigail?” she whispered.

Beth walked up beside her. “Me. For a long time. Abigail Lincoln-Gray.”

“Did you choose that name?”

“I can’t quite recall, and I don’t want to.”

“Then I won’t ask again.” Kate sighed and cut Nocturna down from the rafters, letting her body fall to the floor. She unlocked her bindings and tore the gag out of her mouth. Still lifeless. “You wanted her to wander the earth as a warning, didn’t you?”

“It’s fitting.”

“It is.”

They looked at one another in silence.

“Let’s...not tell dad about this,” said Beth.

Kate snorted into a tired laugh. “Never.”  


* * *

 

 

Maggie flipped open her lighter and lit her cigarette, only for both items to _vanish_ from her hands before she could smoke for even a second. She pinched her brow and kicked the unplugged batsignal. “Okay, _fine,_ I’ll quit again! Just give me back the lighter. Those old fashioned zippos aren’t easy to come by.”

Kate tossed it back to her from the shadows. More specifically, around the corner from the stairwell on Central’s rooftop. “You hungry, Commissioner?”

Maggie raised a brow. “What, for the truth? You want me to take a bite outta crime?”

“What? No. I brought Big Belly Burger. Can’t you smell it?”

Maggie walked towards her and her mouth immediately started watering. “I can now. And I’m starving.”

Kate handed her a takeout bag and smiled. “I figured as much. Cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, mustard, ketchup, and pickles.”

“Thank you. I'll bet you anything…” Maggie ripped open the packaging and tore into the burger, her stomach rumbling louder and louder. She covered her mouth as she chewed. “...that Batman _never_ did this for Jim.”

“Pretty sure those two were never romantically involved.”

“Half the force says differently.” Maggie swallowed. “Did...did you change and get this, or did you just buy it in cash, while in uniform?”

“Cash? _Please._ I used my BatCard. Bat Credit Card.”

Maggie just stared at her. “No. Just...no.”

“Fine, fine, fine.” Kate snickered and unwrapped her burger. “You get a discount if you’re a vigilante.”

“That is both amazing, and completely unsurprising.”

“I know, right?” she said, taking a bite of her burger. “Rumor has it that Flash started that trend out in Central City.”

Maggie finished her food in relative silence, slowing down to keep pace with Kate, and leaned back against the wall with a yawn. “Slow night?”

“Relatively.” Kate settled beside her. “I just wanted to see you, so. Here I am.”

“There you are.” Maggie took a deep breath. No more dancing. No more anxiety. “Hey.”

“Hm?”

“I still love you.”

Kate blushed into a bright smile. “I still love you, too.” She leaned in to kiss her, wrapping her hands around her waist and holding her tight. “So…”

Maggie chuckled. “Yeah.” The door to the stairwell swung open and she pushed away, rounding the corner to meet---oh, it was just Renee. “Montoya?”

Renee tossed her a radio. “Mr. Freeze and Cobblepot are going at it. Two guesses as to where.”

“Son of a…” Maggie turned back around and gathered her garbage. “First Grundy, now a maelstrom of ice. It’s going to be a long night after all, eh Batwoman---” She blinked. “She’s gone, isn’t she?”

Renee smirked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Maggie sighed, wistful. Back to business as usual. “Iceberg Lounge?”

“Iceberg Lounge.”

“Call Batman---oh, do you want my fries? I have extra.”

“Absolutely.”

“Go on ahead.” She tossed the bag over to Renee. “I’ll be down in a second.”

“Yes ma’am.” Renee closed the door.

Maggie stuck her hands in her jacket pockets and---wait. She pulled out a fresh box of nicotine patches, which weren’t there five minutes ago, and smiled. “Welcome back, Kate.”

**_BATWOMAN_ will return in**

**DETECTIVE COMICS REBIRTH**

_**RISE OF THE BATMEN** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. I know that hurts. I know reading that, despite knowing that they break up due Maggie wanting to move closer to her daughter (in Metropolis apparently) and of course Kate can't fight her on that, it's painful. But they don't know that yet. They don't know it ends, and, at least, in this way, it's not as bad. I have a hard time believing Kate'll find someone nearly as good for her as Mags, since her whole thing with Renee was that they ALWAYS burned way too bright and didn't have a dimmer switch, but hey...maybe she will find someone. Who knows? I really just want her to be happy.
> 
> And she finally is, in that first scene here, mostly. I mean, it's the ONLY scene in this entire story where Maggie, Renee and Kate are in the same room and talking to one another. Nowhere else does it happen, and I kinda knew I wanted to save that, because it's something special. Plus, there's just so much fun to be there, and God knows there's some levity that's needed. After all of that hell, Kate deserves the right to get piss drunk and ACTUALLY dance her ass off. Also fun to poke at the eternal question of Beth's sexuality, despite the fact that them both being lesbians is more likely than Beth being straight. With twins, it's actually quite common, but it's sorta like how I see Cassandra when she first showed up in NML, or in the second Eternal. Cass has some severe mental, emotional and psychological trauma and most likely has a nasty developmental disorder considering how she can barely speak. The idea of either of them, Cass or Beth, considering any kind of romantic relationship with anyone just...doesn't sit right with me. At least, not until they're more lucid and can be of sound mind and body to be considered consenting adults. Or, I guess, in Cass's case, a good old fashioned teenager. 
> 
> I swear to God, I wrote that first scene about Chase getting her job back at the DEO back in freaking April. And y'know what pops up, not too long ago? Supergirl Rebirth. And guess who's the DEO Director? Cameron Freakin' Chase. I wouldn't be surprised if a bunch of my other 'predictions' in here also became true (Bat Ops thematically did, for one), like, I dunno, Babs starts part-timing as Oracle again. OH! And I, you won't believe this either---way before that cruel fake rumor about Batwoman and Oracle being part of Supergirl Season 2 dropped, I'd already outlined that DEO sequence where Kate acted as Dinah in a Chuck Dixon-style dynamic. It works. It works REALLY WELL. 
> 
> To be clear, Kate's self-confidence is still SERIOUSLY shaken. She's putting on a brave face, as Renee very clearly sees through in Tec 936 (and the way she reacts to Beth's actions regarding Nocturna is a large clue) but after everything that's happened, even after beating the case against her...it's not like she's magically healed to who she was. She'll never get back there, because she can't be who she used to be; that's not how life works. She can only become a better version of who she is right now, not a ghost of what she believes to be her strongest self. Speaking of Nocturna's fate...
> 
> The nanites were foreshadowed, but that's not the point. Nor is Crow-3's actually documented speciality in nanotech (that's part of his intro) Kate had them made in a moment of anger and weakness, but elected to let Nocturna rot in Arkham instead of taking revenge like that. 
> 
> Here's the dilemma I dealt with. There are two versions. Kate uses them, or Beth does. Is it more thematically appropriate for Kate to 'fail' here, and have Beth inject the nanites because she's unable to talk her down, thus giving her a sick incentive to look deeper into her own faith to ensure Nocturna feels more pain...or does Kate 'win', taking a proverbial bullet for Beth, when we all know she'd take a tank shell if she had to (or straight up kill people), and sacrificing her own ideals to ensure Beth's recovery continues, rather than being halted this monstrous act? The fact of the matter here is that Nocturna did abhorrent things to Kate. Beth is finally starting to understand just how much Kate was willing to sacrifice, and inevitably did, just to get her back. So she could protect her and help her. It makes sense that BETH, far more than Kate, would take matters into her own hands with Nocturna and most likely NEVER tell Kate what she did, since in her mind she's making sure her sister is never hurt like this again. As long as it never happens again, it doesn't matter if Kate knows the truth.
> 
> I think it's a much darker thing that Beth be the one to do this, when she's already made so much progress. Relapsing like this, even if it's for an arguably noble reason, is very New52. This leads into Rebirth, purposefully, but since that hasn't 'happened' yet, ie the tonal shift has yet to occur, Kate can't find the third option and get a total win here. But she can get very, very close. Anyway, that was the intention.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is it. The End. Considering how my last long-form fanfic project took me like a year and a half to write, it's kind of amazing that this only took like...a little longer than two months to write/edit overall. Though that was like 240k words in a massive series, with way less source material to draw upon...and yet this one somehow seems way more complicated... Heh. 
> 
> Now all I need is a TV Tropes page for this thing XD
> 
> I'm just kind of baffled how well the timing was for this thing. There were at least three instances where Tec Comics had something in there that directly related to this story, the flashback at the start of 938 was SPOOKY because it tied directly into Ch7's graveyard scene, which were published the same freaking day, and even a moment from the main Batman comic! I wrote this thing with Solomon Grundy (pretty sure this version of him was last seen in Injustice) waaaaay before he popped up in King's Batman XD Tons of stuff popped up just in time for me to tweak or adapt it so it all fit into canon as it is now...9/7/2016. 
> 
> Of course...double-edged sword there. 
> 
> Next week we find out if Tynion can stick the damn landing. If he does, imho, he'll have written the quintessential Rebirth arc, as it embodies the best and most important aspects of the whole damn initiative. Yes, even more than Rucka's Wonder Woman. As absurdly good as that is...there's a whole other meta-textual level of Tynion taking the 'homeless' fan-favorite Gotham characters and designing a team book that just makes perfect sense when you read it. Especially when all of these fan-favorite characters have a history of being misused or tossed aside by the Editorial Staff. Every member of that team has been fucked over, some worse than others (I think Kate, despite being the 'youngest', was the biggest victim) so...you see what I'm saying? It's not just Legacy or Love here, in the story itself. It's legitimately in the DNA of the most basic concept of the book itself. It's...seriously brilliant. 
> 
> Anyway, if you're reading this, thank you. Really. I expected to be writing for a mostly-dead fandom, and imagine my surprise when it seriously wasn't. The goal of this story was to provide closure for myself, as well as others, and fill this gap that I was all but certain would never be addressed in the comics because, can you blame them? Who wouldn't want to forget this? Yet, on the other hand...it's not okay to let what happened to Kate vanish. You can't just sweep the unholy abuse, of all kinds, that was inflicted upon her under the rug. That's disrespectful to readers, to her as a character, to the writers that made her, and to victims of abuse in general. You can't just deny this stuff happened, because it did. It's disgusting, but it happened. Do we deny that Talia raped Bruce so she could have Damian? No. We don't. Was that ever addressed as like a huge new source of trauma for Bruce? Prettttttty sure it wasn't. 
> 
> I sincerely hope you folks felt this connected the dots, because it does for me. Oh, and one last thing: I'm not doing a sequel.
> 
> ...
> 
> But that doesn't mean I'm not doing a _follow-up_. Which I can't fully parse together until Rise of the Batmen ends, but rest assured, this next one, now that the baggage is dropped and we're in Rebirth...hooboy.
> 
>  **Batwoman: Words of Black** is gonna be crazy. Title could change, though. 
> 
> Until then, y'all are the best, leave a comment (DO IT), tell your friends, and support your local comic shop! You can also find me on [tumblr!](progmanx.tumblr.com)


End file.
